How much does it cost to run a vacuum cleaner? (2026 price cap)

Typical rating and how we worked this out

This page uses a typical rating of 700W for a vacuum cleaner; published figures for this appliance range from 450W to 900W. A corded vacuum cleaner typically draws 450–900W depending on motor size and suction setting; cordless stick vacuums generally draw less but for a shorter, more limited runtime per charge. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 2 sessions a week, about 25 minutes each, which is how the per-day, per-week and per-year figures above were calculated — see the cost-to-run calculator to change the wattage, hours or region yourself.

Rate used: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, GB average electricity — 26.32p/kWh (excl. VAT, removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027).

Cost by region

Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:

East Midlands is cheapest at £7.69 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £8.45 a year — a gap of 76p for identical use.

How a vacuum cleaner compares with similar appliances

Ranked by typical annual cost in garden & other, GB average:

• vacuum cleaner — £7.98 a year (this page)
• video doorbell — £6.92 a year
• baby monitor — £6.92 a year
• sewing machine — £6.48 a year
• electric leaf blower — £5.70 a year
• electric lawnmower — £10.95 a year

Three practical ways to cut the cost

1. Use the correct suction setting for the floor type — full power on hard floors wastes power without a cleaning benefit
2. Empty the bag/canister and clean the filter regularly — a full bag forces the motor to work harder
3. Vacuum in overlapping passes rather than going over the same area repeatedly at random

FAQs

How much does it cost to run a vacuum cleaner for an hour?

18p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 700W). One typical use — 2 sessions a week, about 25 minutes each — costs closer to 7.7p.

How much does a vacuum cleaner cost to run per year?

Around £7.98 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 2 sessions a week, about 25 minutes each — about 15p a week.

Which UK region is cheapest to run a vacuum cleaner in?

East Midlands, at £7.69 a year, against £8.45 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — 76p apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.

Does the exact wattage of my vacuum cleaner change the cost much?

Yes — ratings range 450W–900W, so the top of that range costs about 2.0x the bottom. This page uses 700W; check your own rating plate.

Does the October 2026 price cap affect this figure?

Yes — figures use the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Electricity excludes VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027); gas includes 5%. See the price cap page for the full breakdown.

Sources

• Daftlogic — power consumption of typical household appliances — wattage and usage figures for this appliance.
• Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (regional tables, read 12 September 2026).

Related

• Cost-to-run calculator and full A–Z — check any appliance or enter a custom wattage.
• Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 — every region, every payment method.
• Back-billing calculator — if a bill for this or any appliance looks like it covers too many months.
• Free bill audit — if your overall energy costs look high regardless of any one appliance.