In broad terms telescopes fall into two categories - refractors and reflectors. Many refractors have a diagonal mirror or prism placed before the eyepiece that redirects the eyepiece 45-90 degrees from the direction the telescope is pointing for more comfortable viewing. They generally have low optical quality, poorly fitting plastic parts, and spindly mounts that wobble at the slightest touch, making viewing next to impossible.
Higher magnifications provide only dim, fuzzy images.
Magnification isn't really related in any way to quality or performance. The reason for having multiple elements is to correct what is called chromatic aberration - one lens refracts, or bends, different colors of light by different amounts. The second lens is made out of a different kind of glass and bends the different colors of light in a corresponding manner to cancel out the aberration. Fittings for the eyepiece should be made of machined metal, not plastic or molded metal. The tripod can be wood or metal, as long as it is stable and doesn't shake during use.