This Challenge Push Mower, £30 from Argos, coped with 1/4 acre tussocky lawn of grass 20-30 cm high. It was hard work though - not recommended if you have a weak back.

The machine is surprisingly solid for the price. It is really for shortish grass though. When set to maximum height, the (plastic) roller swivelled out of position however hard the screw are tightened. I ended up drilling a new hole through the plastic and adding a new bolt which was easy and worked well. Even at maximum height though, my grass was really too long. Progress in the long grass is best by pushing forward fast, pulling backwards, and making another pass, until the grass is down to a level height. I suspect this plastic roller will eventually snap rendering the machine useless. The machine works much better in short grass e.g. 5 cm and I expect subsequent cuts to be much easier.

The cutting blade adjustment is a bit fiddly in common with powered cylinder mowers, but more crucial when you're supplying the power yourself. If I don't let the grass get so long cutting should be a lot easier next time.

The grass collector bucket is terrible. It is made of light flexible black plastic, which is OK. However the fixing to the machine is by a tiny bar of this same thin plastic and I think this will break before long. Also the collector frequently comes off its hooks but is troublesome to remove when you want it off. I found it quicker to scoop the grass out with my hands rather than remove the collector, empty it, and re-attach it. Finally, the collector only catches some of the grass, much goes forwards or over the top. So if you want no cuttings at all on the lawn, this mower is no good.

Finally it is worth saying that the reduction in noise for you and your neighbours is a real benefit of this kind of machine. It is also very light and easy to get in and out of the shed, etc. In summary it is ideal for a smaller lawn that gets cut regularly. With a steel roller and better grass collector attachment and a price say £5 more making £35, this would suit a lot of people.