Black & Decker has recently added two new gardening tool attachments to their Matrix line of modular power tools. The new combo starter kit, model BDCSS20, comes with the basic 20V Matrix power handle and drill/driver attachment, a new hedge trimmer attachment, and a new gardening shear attachment.
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The new trimmer is 6-inches long and cuts at speeds up to 2,800 strokes per minute. It’s designed to be used for quick trimming off the tops and sides of hedges, bushes, and shrubs. The steel trimmer blades are machines-sharpened and are said to provide for clean good-looking cuts.
The 4-inch shear is designed for finer work, such as trimming grass in tight spaces near fences and along landscape beds.
Since users are unlikely to be using both tools at once, the attachment set consists of the trimmer and shear blades and single Matrix tool attachment module. The attachment module features a tool-free blade exchange design to allow for quick blade swaps. There is also a safety lock-off switch to prevent accidental start-up.
The two gardening tool attachments are available as part of a ~$100 starter pack (BDCSS20), and are also bundled together as part of a $40-50 attachment kit (BDCMTOSS), for Matrix users who already have corded or cordless power handles.
Buy Now(Kit via Amazon)
Buy Now(Attachments via Amazon)
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We don’t know if Craftsman will be releasing similar attachments as part of their Bolt-On modular tool system, but Black & Decker Matrix and Bolt-On attachments are interchangeable with each other, so you can mix and match the two brands’ accessories.
JOSH GUHN
Looks like junk!
Stan
This is from Black and Decker, so this being junk wouldn’t surprise me in the least.
With each passing year, this becomes more challenging to take this company seriously.
I miss the old days when Black and Decker brand actually had meant something. Some of these items were USA, but these items weren’t gimmicky though.
Stuart
There are certain Black & Decker tools that I could never see myself using. Others however, are surprisingly good. I don’t think these attachments will be remarkably awesome, but they look practical for certain users.
I don’t see anything wrong or unappealling about these tools.
fred
I could see these appealing to my wife – if she did not already own similar (and I must say more costly) standalone products made by Gardena (their #8805 and #8824-U):
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/179-2524334-2187803?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=gardena%208805
She’s used these and a similar tool (grass shears) made by American Gardener for years in her puttering around in the garden. She likes to get down on her hands and knees to work around flower beds and these light-duty tools seem to fit her needs. The Gardena tools – and I suspect these from Black & Decker – are not meant to replace commercial-quality grass trimmers (I have a Tanaka that works well for me) or hedge trimmers (my old Little Wonder is great – if you don’t mind the electric cord). In any event – my wife never complains about lack of power or capacity with these sorts of tools – she just tells me to get out the big guns when she reaches their limits.
firefly
We got the Gardena as well and they work very well. This is very similar. My only concern is the ergonomic and durability.
The Gardena is made in such a way that it’s easy to hold. Other than that the concept is fine.
mikeh
what a ridiculous road to go down with this product – is it designed for the homeowner who just needs to trim up his inside plants a bit
Hang Fire
My last 4 B&D purchases were all rubbish- 5 degree misaligned laser leveler, shaking/vibrating grinder (even after diamond wheel truing, even after grinding wheel removal), jigsaw with crooked blade holder (tilted AND rotated), and some other piece of non-functional gear I can’t even remember right now.
I suppose Stuart might have some kind of journalistic obligation to write about B&D, because he also needs samples from Stanley, deWalt, et al., but could he please add a hint of irony or angst or something? Please?
Also: I think “shea” should be “shear”?
mikeh
i’m in for the angst and irony
Stuart
Thanks for the correction!
I have zero obligation to write about B&D or any other brand. My only obligation is to readers.
Honestly, I think these are very well thought out products. There’s no irony or angst or criticisms in the post because I see the value in these attachments.
These are small attachments designed for light gardening work. Not everyone has the need for a full-size trimmer or shear. You won’t trim and prune a golf course’s shrubbery with these tools, but for a shrub or two or small precision work around a small garden – why not? What would be better?
Hang Fire
Hand tools.
billy kidd
sadly, and all to often, we get comments from people who have emotional knee-jerk reactions to products they have neither seen nor used. The folks make reading comments a total waste of time
Robin
Here is the Craftsman Equivalent..
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-bolt-on-hedge-trimmer-shear-attachment/p-00941326000P?prdNo=6&blockNo=6&blockType=G6
Caleb
If I did not have a hedge trimmer and needed one for occasional use this would be a great way to go.
I have the Craftsman Bolt-On system and for the work I do around the house it is great. I have more serious corded tools that get used on the serious projects, but it is great to grab one bag for so many tools. So much easier to use. I find that I am less likely to put things off since it is so quick and easy.
I like that the Bolt-On, B&D Matrix and other 20V B&D tools use the same batteries. Craftsman also offers a corded head so you essentially double the tools you have available.
If I was professional, I would probably not go this route (or only use it for small projects since it is so small and light). But I’m not so it works great for me. Thanks for putting the creative stuff out there, Stuart!
Mike47
This looks like it might appeal to an apartment dweller or condominium resident who has a small porch-garden to tend.
cody Robertson
I can’t see this tool having much run time with only a 1.5ah battery
Seth
You’d be surprised – the little black&decker 3v hedge clippers have a shockingly run long time for the tiny battery that is built into them because the blade isn’t long enough (or wide enough) to get a lot of material into it at once. If the motor is running unloaded it really doesn’t draw much juice, so it’ll run for hours. The shear blade on this is about the same size as the B&D 3V shear, and the hedge trimmer isn’t much longer.
The 20V 1.5aH matrix battery should run long enough so you’ll either get bored or have your hands go numb when using this.
joe
Going down memory lane I started working as a maintenance guy at the age of 18/19…I was just looking for any job to get extra cash. I got hired in this, I would say, middle class mixed with rich class town homes in the downtown area. Supposedly Oprah liked to stayed there whenever she was in the city, and other celebrities (they also rented furnished units). I would guesstimate there where about 400 units or more…there where four maintenance guys each given their own sectio. So I started working there and soon the manager wanted me to be a maintenance apprentice because of my abilities to fix things…he even told me that I was doing better work than guys that had been working there for 5-10 yrs…(good formula for jealousy and hatred…but thats another story..)
at any rate….come to find out that all of the maintenance guys where using a black&decker tool kit similar like this one. By that I mean head replacing. The kit came with a bunch of heads that you could swap…it worked pretty good…but what I was amazed about was that a-one kit for all the maintenance guys. B-it did the job for maintenance so I would imagine that would work for any DIYer.
They don’t sell the kit anymore though…I don’t see this as a bad idea either…if I can remember correctly….it had a jigsaw head, planner head, sawsaw head, and others….heck I would not mind if dewalt or Milwaukee made such a thing…one 18v brushless motor with a bunch of head attachments…industrial grade though…
Stuart
Ridgid’s JobMax line is pretty decent and was designed for heavier duty work.
joe
PS, The only bad part about male tools getting in the delicate female side of things is that it might get the guy mad….when you would want to be manly and do some creative work in the garage, or anywhere in the house, but your significant other is using the drill to cut the weeds off her flower garden…that would get heated. Lol.
John Pusey
I bought one of these about 4 months ago. I have used it on the bushes and the flower beds in the yard. It is a light duty item that works very well for me. I am still happy with it after many months of use.