I've used this in the backyard twice now chipping two rather large bushes. I'm very pleased. Obviously it's not chipping large diameter branches but for the small stuff it has worked great making a nice mulch.
This is a great little chipper/shredder for the price. Easy to put together and easy to use. I bought this primarily to shred last season's plant stalks, but I also sent through some smaller branches. It did a great job on both. Just keep an eye on the exit chute if you are pushing plants through - it tends to bunch up and block the exit, especially with less stiff material (ornamental grasses in my case). I used it for 3 hours straight and it never overheated.