For a typical 1,200–2,200 sq ft home, a robot vacuum costs about $9–11 for each hour of cleaning it gives back. A cleaner every two weeks costs about $66 per hour back. Whether either is worth your hour depends on what your time is worth to you. Enter yours below to see what it costs to buy an hour of your week back.
At $35/hr, a self-emptying robot vacuum pays off. A cleaner costs $61 per hour back.
| Option | Under 1,200 ft² | 1,200–2,200 ft² | Over 2,200 ft² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic robot vacuum | $20 | $11 | $6 |
| Self-emptying robot vacuum | $15 | $9 | $6 |
| All-in-one robot (vacuum + mop) | $17 | $11 | $7 |
| Cleaner every two weeks | $72 | $66 | $60 |
| Cleaner every week | $66 | $61 | $55 |
Cost per hour back is an option’s yearly cost divided by the hours it gives back. Yearly cost is the price spread over its expected lifespan, plus parts, supplies and service fees. Hours given back is the cleaning time it replaces, minus the time it takes from you, such as emptying bins or tidying before a cleaner arrives.
| Option | Price | Lifespan | Upkeep/Yr | Your Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic robot vacuum | $150 | 4 yrs | $92 | 7 min/wk |
| Self-emptying robot vacuum | $250 | 4 yrs | $122 | 4 min/wk |
| All-in-one robot | $700 | 4 yrs | $182 | 5 min/wk |
| House cleaner | $120–250/visit by home size | — | — | 20 min/visit |
Floor-care time is based on a 2025 survey of 1,000 Americans averaging about 57 minutes a week (Ecovacs). Cleaner prices use Angi’s customer data ($118–238 per visit, about $176 typical), adjusted by local cleaner wages from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Robot upkeep uses typical part prices and replacement schedules, including a battery around year three. How much vacuuming a robot handles varies by home and has no independent measurement, so you can set it above. Local prices are matched from ZIP code to metro area using HUD’s ZIP crosswalk; if no metro data exists, the state average is used. Your time value follows James Clear’s take-home-pay method: after-tax pay (taxes estimated at 28%) divided by about 2,500 hours a year spent earning it, including commuting. Checked October 2026 · Cleaner wages: BLS, May 2025 release.