How Much Does It Cost to Run a Robot Vacuum in the UK? (2026)
A robot vacuum uses 20 to 60 watts of charging power and runs on a battery of 50 to 100 watt-hours. Daily cleaning uses well under 1 kWh a month, though the dock draws a few watts continuously.
A typical robot vacuum (30 W) costs £0.008 per hour, or about £0.36 per month at 1.5 hours a day in the UK. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 20 W | £0.005 | £0.008 | £0.24 | £2.88 |
| Typical 30 W | £0.008 | £0.012 | £0.36 | £4.32 |
| High 60 W | £0.016 | £0.024 | £0.71 | £8.65 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 1.5 h/day ≈ 16 kWh per year.
One day of a robot vacuum (0.72 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 4.0km in an electric car
- 7.2hours of TV
- 16hours of a laptop
- 80hours of an LED bulb
In the UK, with electricity at 26.3p per kWh (source: Ofgem price cap 1 Oct–31 Dec 2026, 2026-10), a typical robot vacuum costs £0.008 per hour and about £4.32 per year at 1.5 hours a day. Each £1.00 of electricity buys roughly 126.6 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a robot vacuum
- Schedule fewer runs in rooms that stay clean.
- Keep the dock plugged in. Cycling it wears the battery.
- Empty the bin so the robot does not repeat areas.
In standby it draws about 3 W, which adds roughly 26 kWh (£6.92) per year if it is never unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a robot vacuum cost to run?
Around 2 to 4 kWh a month including the dock's standby draw.
Does the charging dock use electricity all the time?
Yes, about 2 to 4 watts to maintain the battery and stay connected.
Is a robot vacuum cheaper than a normal vacuum?
Per clean, yes. It uses about a tenth of the electricity, though it cleans less thoroughly.
Compare with
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Clothes Iron1,500 W typical
- Heat Pump Dryer900 W typical
- Vacuum Cleaner1,000 W typical
- Clothes Dryer3,000 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz