🤖 Robot vacuum

How much electricity does a robot vacuum use? Cost per clean and of the dock

Robot vacuum electricity use per clean and per year, including dock standby and stations that empty, wash and dry.

Per clean

50 Wh

Cost per clean

$0.009 · £0.013

Per year · 13 kWh

$2 · £3

With 5 times a week, electricity at $0.18/kWh and £0.26/kWh all-in.

A robot vacuum uses very little: the battery is 40–75 Wh and a full clean, including charging losses, takes about 0.05 kWh. That is a quarter of what a corded vacuum uses for the same job.

The less obvious part is the charging dock: it stays plugged in all year and draws 1–3 W, or 10–25 kWh a year, often more than the cleaning itself. Stations that wash mops with hot water and dry them with hot air use far more: up to 0.3 kWh per cycle.

Consumption compared

TypeUsagekWh/yearCost/year
Basic robot (40 Wh battery)50 Wh / clean13$2 · £3
Robot with mop (75 Wh battery)90 Wh / clean23$4 · £6
With self-emptying station0.1 kWh / clean26$5 · £7
With station that washes and hot-air dries the mops0.3 kWh / clean78$14 · £20
Corded vacuum for 20 minutes, for comparison0.23 kWh / clean60$11 · £16

Yearly cost with 5 times a week.

Work out your cost

Per clean
$0.009
Per month
$0.19
Per year
$2
Energy per year
13 kWh

The price is a typical all-in figure for your country: replace it with yours (bill total ÷ kWh).

How to use less

  • If the station hot-air dries the mops, shorten the drying time or use cool-air drying when indoor air is dry.
  • Clean the brushes and filter weekly: a clogged filter reduces suction and makes the robot go over the floor again.
  • Schedule cleaning for the rooms that need it, not the whole house every day.
Lower-energy modelsCompare prices and energy labels on AmazonAmazon ↗

FAQ

How much electricity does a robot vacuum use?
About 50 Wh per clean, from 20 Wh to 0.35 kWh depending on model and programme.
How much does it cost per year?
With 5 times a week it uses about 13 kWh a year: about $2 · £3 at $0.18/kWh and £0.26/kWh.
How can I reduce it?
If the station hot-air dries the mops, shorten the drying time or use cool-air drying when indoor air is dry. Clean the brushes and filter weekly: a clogged filter reduces suction and makes the robot go over the floor again.

And what does your whole home use?

The calculator estimates heating, hot water and appliances and tells you what to change first.

Run the free calculator →

Other appliances