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    Berkeley Vacuum & Sewing Center

    4.2 (192 reviews)
    Closed 9:30 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Services - Berkeley Vacuum & Sewing Center

    Appliance repair

    Key duplication

    Knife sharpening

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    empty oil

    !!!DO NOT BRING YOUR SEWING MACHINE HERE!!! I was charged $255 for almost none of the servicing or repairs I was promised. I have an old Pfaff 461 industrial that was second-hand. I got the machine to stitch for myself after a thorough cleaning and timing. I was very proud of that. The machine worked just fine, but I had noticed that the lower oiling system was not spitting oil, and the feed dog shafts had disintegrated wicks. I decided to bring it in because I was so busy that I couldn't spend more time on the repairs myself anymore. I also wanted a professional to ensure it's working as it should. Turns out there are no professionals here. I thought, a repair place next to a popular fabric store, surely they must be good! I was wrong. Alas, I brought my machine, spare parts I had, and a list of specific repairs I knew it needed. The work included replacing the oil wicks, applying new grease to the gears, replacing the grease gasket, and inspecting the lower oil feeding mechanism. I made sure that the age of my machine would not be a problem, and she assured me they could service and repair it. They quoted me 2 weeks, and I agreed. They said they would call me when they needed to order parts or encountered any issues. By two weeks, crickets. So I call. I am greeted cheerfully, saying the machine is in perfect condition and is ready for pick-up. Would they have ever called me? I am happy, wow! Everything is replaced and ready to go. I'd like to ask about the specific repairs that were included in the letter. She says no, they didn't do any of the repairs, they can't find the parts. The part in question: wool wicks.... She says that I have to buy them myself and bring them in so they can be repaired. I think: I don't want to wait another two weeks after the parts get delivered, that's a total of 6 WEEKS my machine is in their shop. I decided to visit them, wondering what else they didn't repair from my comprehensive list. I arrive to find no technicians on site. The woman was coarse, questioning my knowledge of the machine since I got it second-hand. Saying that the machine is so old that it's hard to repair, something I made sure wouldn't be a problem when I left it with them in the first place. She tells me the technician will call me to answer my questions about the repairs that he made. I never received a call for three days. At this point, I read all the terrible sewing machine service reviews, and I'm over it. I decided to go in person for the third time. I walk in to just a technician working who does not speak English well. I asked him what repairs were made. He goes on to tell me that he wasn't the one who did it, but the needle bar and hook were timed. Okay... the most basic timing mechanism. What about feed dog timing? Reverse mechanism? Stitch length? I ask about the lower oiling tube, but he doesn't understand. Is the simple needle and hook timing the $255 service fee? He says yes. I was charged $255 to time the needle bar and hook. Unbelievable. I look closer, and he says they oiled it. The reservoir is EMPTY. I REPEAT, EMPTY. He says the gears were greased. I come home and take off the bottom plate--no grease on the gears. I run the simple hook oil spitting test. No oil. I had to remove the oil tube to find a blockage. Surely they didn't even check it. I cleared this myself, by the way. I also ordered grease, new wicks, and a new grease gasket. They said they could not find these parts. The only thing they did was time the needle bar and hook (by the way, it was stitching and had been timed before; this was the least of my worries), and added some drops of oil on the presser foot shaft. Otherwise, my machine was left dry and neglected. For a lovely price tag of $255, no communication, a questioning of my knowledge, and a feeling of betrayal. Please, if you care about your machine as much as I do about mine, DO NOT bring your machine here. You will be lied to and overcharged.

    Singer G-66 sewing machine

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    3 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

    They were very organized and helpful with my needs! The sales person went that extra mile to assure my satisfaction.

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    19 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Rented a carpet cleaner. Equipment was clean and in good condition. People were friendly and helpful. I would definitely use them again.

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Friendly service and quick estimate. I messaged them about a knife repair and they were able to refer me to a specialist.

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Slow to greet me but great, quick service on my vacuum after a short wait. Would go there again!

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    16 years ago

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    Page 2 of 5

    Ask the Community - Berkeley Vacuum & Sewing Center

    Review Highlights - Berkeley Vacuum & Sewing Center

    I've taken my sewing machine in twice because it was skipping stitches and had great customer service both times.

    Mentioned in 26 reviews

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    Yesterday we were at my brother in law's home on Greenwood. He has had a stroke and hasn't been…read morethere for quite sometime and we were there to see what needed to be done. As you can imagine it was an emotional time. Upon trying to enter, we found the lock on the back door wasn't working and we weren't able to enter. Fearing that because we weren't the owners, a locksmith would not help us, we contacted the realtor who was able to provide your company with the necessary documentation. Your technician, Edgar, was dispatched and arrived quickly. He was able to diagnose the problem, repair the lock and open the door. I'm sure that to you, that is his job description but to us, he was a life saver. We had driven 2 1/2 hours to get there. The purpose of this long email is to commend Edgar for his expertise and kindness. He worked quickly all the while explaining the problem. Once he had repaired the lock, he spent the time to go over the fine points of the locking mechanism. Above and beyond repairing the lock, Edgar's kindness and positive attitude made this difficult day so much better. Thank you.

    Matt from Lockology was so helpful yesterday. We lost the key to an old Pontiac Vibe that's my…read morecompany's back-up back-up car, and it turned out to be more complicated that it appeared. Matt had to rebuild the ignition, too! Matt is super smart and courteous, plus he adjusted his schedule to meet me at 5PM instead of 4PM, which we'd originally agreed to. Very good experience--would recommend for sure!

    Berkeley Vacuum & Sewing Center - homeappliancerepair - Updated May 2026

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