Quick verdict
A 12 inch cordless string trimmer and edger that clips onto a removable wheeled deck to become a small push mower, sold with two batteries and a charger. It suits a townhouse strip, a sloped patch or a lawn chopped into pieces a walk-behind cannot reach. The caveat is that it mows with string on a 12 inch path, so it is a short-grass tool for a very small lawn.
Strengths
- Trimmer, edger and small mower from one tool
- Two batteries and a charger in the box
- Removable wheeled deck with adjustable cut height
- Light enough for slopes and strips a mower cannot reach
- Automatic feed spool, no bumping
Weaknesses
- 12 inch string deck is only for a tiny lawn in short grass
- Listing does not state voltage, amp-hours or runtime
- Automatic feed uses line quickly if the trigger is feathered
- Underpowered for stemmy weeds
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Who this tool is for
There are lawns that make a 21 inch mower look ridiculous: a townhouse strip, a patch behind a garage, a terraced slope that a walk-behind cannot climb. The BLACK+DECKER MTC220 is built for those. It is a 12 inch cordless string trimmer and edger that drops onto a removable wheeled deck and becomes a small push mower, sold with two batteries and a charger. One tool, three jobs, and a footprint that hangs on a nail in a closet.
This review is based on the maker’s published specifications and on recurring owner feedback. We have not run this product ourselves.
What you get
In the box are the trimmer unit, the wheeled deck, two lithium batteries and a charger. The cut path is 12 inches. Line feeds from Black+Decker’s AFS automatic feed spool, and the head is driven through the maker’s PowerDrive transmission, intended to keep the line turning in dense grass. The deck height adjusts, the trimmer length and settings adjust, and the handle pivots for edging. The listing does not state the voltage, the amp-hour rating of the packs or a runtime figure; Black+Decker markets the MTC220 within its 20V MAX range, so plan on runtime in the range of a compact battery trimmer rather than a mower.
Trimming and edging
Off the deck it is a light 12 inch trimmer with automatic line feed and a pivoting head for edging along a walk. Owners describe it as adequate for grass and soft weeds and underpowered for anything stemmy, which is what you would expect from a trimmer that also has to be light enough to mow with. The AFS spool removes bumping, but it also advances line every time the trigger is released, so a user who feathers the trigger goes through spools quickly. That is the most common owner complaint across every tool that uses this head.
Mowing on the wheeled deck
Clip the trimmer into the deck and it becomes a mower that cuts with string rather than a blade. Twelve inches is narrow, so a lawn of a few hundred square feet is the realistic ceiling, and the deck height adjustment sets how short it cuts. Owners report a tidy result on short weekly grass and a struggle in long or damp grass, where the string slows and the pack drains fast. Two batteries help; swap when the first fades and charge it while the second finishes. On slopes and awkward strips the light weight is the whole advantage over a real mower.
Build, handling and ergonomics
The tool is plastic, light and easy to carry up steps, with a pivoting handle and adjustable length to suit different heights. The deck latch and the trimmer height collar are the parts owners say to treat with care. It is not a tool for rough ground; the small wheels bounce on roots and the string throws debris, so the guard and a pair of glasses matter.
Living with it
Keep both packs charged and rotate them. Buy spare AFS spools or wind your own from light line of the diameter the manual specifies. Rinse the deck underside after wet grass. Black+Decker states a warranty on the product page; battery coverage is usually shorter than tool coverage, so read the term before buying.
Alternatives to Consider
The Sun Joe MJ401C 14 inch cordless mower is a real bladed mower for a small lawn and cuts better in anything beyond short grass. The Black+Decker 20V MAX 2-in-1 trimmer and edger is the same trimming idea without the deck, for people who already have a mower. The Worx WG163 20V GT trimmer and edger with two batteries is the close competitor if you want a wheeled edging mode and a stronger trimmer and do not need mowing.
Verdict
Buy the BLACK+DECKER MTC220 if the lawn is tiny, sloped or chopped into strips, you want trimming, edging and mowing from one closet-sized tool, and you accept that a string mower is for short grass. Skip it if the lawn is more than a few hundred square feet, if the grass grows long between cuts, or if you want a trimmer with real bite for weeds.
Full specifications
BLACK+DECKER MTC220 12-Inch 3-in-1 Cordless Trimmer, Edger and Mower with Two Batteries and Charger FAQs
Black+Decker pitches it at smaller yards, slopes and areas a walk-behind cannot reach. With a 12 inch string path, a few hundred square feet of short weekly grass is the realistic ceiling; anything larger belongs to a bladed mower.
Two lithium batteries and a charger are included. The listing does not state the voltage or amp-hour rating; Black+Decker markets the MTC220 within its 20V MAX range, so check the product page for the exact pack before buying spares.
No. In every mode it cuts with string from the same automatic feed spool, which is why it struggles in long or damp grass and why spare spools are worth keeping on hand.
Slopes are one of the uses Black+Decker lists, and the light weight is the reason. The small deck wheels are happiest on even ground; on a steep bank, use it as a trimmer rather than a mower.
