Robot vacuum annual running cost calculator
Add up what a robot vacuum really costs a year in the UK — charging, dock standby and replacement filters, brushes and bags — at 26.32p/kWh.
By Matthew Smart · Rates correct as of 5 October 2026
How to use it
- 1Enter the charging power from the dock’s label — most are 20–60W — and how long a full recharge takes.
- 2Set how many cleans you run in a week.
- 3Dock standby is the trickle the base draws the rest of the time. Two watts is typical.
- 4Add what you expect to spend a year on filters, brushes, side brushes, mop pads and dust bags.
Robot vacuum annual running cost calculator
The electricity is the small part. Enter your charging figures and what you spend on consumables to see the real annual total.
Filters, side brushes, mop pads and dust bags.
Pre-filled with the Ofgem Energy Price Cap unit rate for 1 October – 31 December 2026. Change it to the rate on your own bill.
Your estimate
- Electricity per clean0.15 kWh per charge
- 3.9p
- Charging, per year39.0 kWh a year
- £10.26
- Dock standby, per year16.0 kWh a year
- £4.20
- Consumables, per year
- £40.00
- Total per year
- £54.47
Assumes 50W of charging for 3 hours after each of 5 cleans a week, a 2W dock the rest of the time, and £40.00 a year on consumables, at 26.32p per kWh (Ofgem Energy Price Cap, 1 October – 31 December 2026). Rates correct as of 5 October 2026.
Where the money actually goes
For most households the electricity is a few pounds a year and the consumables are the real cost — particularly on self-emptying models, where dust bags are an ongoing expense. Check the price of bags and brushes for the model you are considering before you buy, because they vary enormously between brands.
Rates correct as of 5 October 2026. Updated each time the price cap changes.
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Written by
Matthew Smart — Founder & Editor20+ years working in home and garden maintenance Exeter, Devon, UK
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