Ceiling cassette air conditioning
A unit recessed into the ceiling, flush behind a slim grille, that spreads air evenly across the room. Ideal for open-plan spaces and loft rooms, as long as there is enough ceiling void to hide it.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I have a ceiling cassette at home, or are they only for offices? +
You can, and compact residential-scale cassettes exist, but the market is heavily geared to offices and shops, so most listings you see are commercial. At home they suit open-plan kitchen-diners, lounges, loft rooms and garden rooms, provided there is a ceiling void to hide the body.
How much ceiling depth do I need? +
Compact residential cassettes are around 245mm deep, so allow roughly 250 to 300mm of void plus clearance. That usually means a suspended ceiling, a loft or room-in-roof, or a section of ceiling built down to house it. A standard solid plaster ceiling with no void rules a cassette out, which is the single biggest reason people choose a wall unit instead.
What is the difference between 1-way and 4-way blow? +
It describes how many sides the unit pushes air from. A 4-way cassette mounted centrally supplies air on all four sides for even, draught-free cooling with no hot or cold spots, which is the main comfort advantage over a wall unit that throws air from one end of the room. 1-way and 2-way versions suit units set near a wall or in a corner.
Are ceiling cassettes quiet enough for a living room or bedroom? +
Yes. Compact cassettes run from the mid-20s dB(A) at low fan, with night or setback modes that slow the fan further, so they are comfortable in living rooms and usable in bedrooms.
How much does a ceiling cassette cost compared with a wall unit? +
Budget roughly £2,000 to £4,000 supplied and fitted per room, typically a few hundred pounds more than the equivalent wall-mounted split because of the extra work cutting into and working above the ceiling. Treat that as an indicative band and get a quote.
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Ceiling cassette air conditioning, explained
A ceiling cassette is an indoor unit recessed into the ceiling so only a slim decorative grille shows, with the body hidden in the void above. It usually blows from the centre of the room, and a 4-way cassette pushes air out on all four sides for even, draught-free cooling with no hot or cold spots. That whole-room spread is its main advantage over a wall unit, which throws air from one end.
At home, a cassette earns its place in open-plan kitchen-diners, lounges, loft conversions and garden rooms, and in rooms with little spare wall; these are often big spaces, so it is worth running the floor area through our BTU calculator to see the capacity you need. The one hard requirement is a ceiling void deep enough to hide the body, so it suits suspended ceilings, loft rooms or a ceiling that can be built down. Compact residential models from Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitsu, Daikin and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries use a roughly 600 x 600mm grille, run on R32 and are reverse-cycle.
What to expect
- 2.5–6.0kW
- Residential-scale capacities
- ~250–300mm
- Ceiling void needed
- £2,000 to £4,000
- Supplied and fitted, per room
- 600 x 600mm
- Typical compact grille size
Void, airflow, cost and alternatives
Ceiling void is the deciding factor. Compact cassettes need around 250 to 300mm of depth to recess the body. No void, no cassette, so if your ceiling is solid with no room above, a wall-mounted split is the practical choice.
Airflow and noise. A central 4-way unit gives the most even distribution; 1-way and 2-way versions suit units near a wall. Efficiency is comparable to a good wall split (the Fujitsu compact reaches SEER 6.70 and SCOP 4.40, A++ cooling and A+ heating), and they are quiet, from around 25 dB(A) on low (the Fujitsu compact from 27 dB(A)).
Cost and where it fits. Budget roughly £2,000 to £4,000 supplied and fitted per room, a little more than a wall unit because of the work above the ceiling. Unit-only, compact cassette systems start from around £950. If you want several rooms done, a cassette can be one of the indoor units on a multi-split. These installed figures are secondary-sourced, so treat them as bands and get a quote.
Prices and running costs correct as of July 2026. The energy price cap changes quarterly, so check current rates before budgeting.
Ceiling cassettes we rate
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A cassette needs enough ceiling void and careful siting. Compare quotes from local F-Gas registered installers who fit them.