Ceiling and in-wall speakers give you all the benefits of room-filling sound while remaining out of the way of your furniture and out of sight.

Whether you're looking to install them as part of a home cinema surround sound setup, or you just want to discreetly have music filtered in all around you, then these speakers have the potential to provide a more immersive and tidy experience.

Naturally, there are some things to consider before you jump in. Installing architectural speakers requires precision and a layout that both matches the room size, your furniture and perhaps your TV setup, too.

Plus, like every area of the industry, these kinds of speakers vary dramatically in their asking price and audio quality. To help you navigate the niche realm of ceiling speakers, we've compiled this list of some of the very best to consider, having tested their audio and established which ones represent the best value based on build quality, style and performance.

Best ceiling speakers you can buy today

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Polk Audio RC80i

Fill out your surround sound

These tried and tested ceiling speakers are a fantastic, affordable addition to any home cinema setup.

Polk Audio RC80i 2-way Premium In-Ceiling 8" Round Speakers, Set of 2 Perfect for Damp and Humid Indoor/Outdoor Placement - Bath, Kitchen, Covered Porches (White, Paintable Grille)

Best Buy

For

  • Good value
  • Great sound

Against

  • Can be fiddly to install

Polk is a solid name when it comes to home audio, and the RC80i is a great example of how you don't have to break the bank to install a household name into your setup.

In this set of two speakers, you'll find an 8-inch dynamic balance woofer and a 1-inch tweeter, with the polymer cone and composite driver baskets helping provide balanced output with superb detail.

Like other models on this list, the rubber seal also prevents moisture from sneaking in, while installation is relatively simple out of the box.

Other ceiling speakers to consider

Here are four other great ceiling speakers to check out:

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Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers by Sonance

Sonos goes architectural

The perfect pick if you have the budget and are already invested in a Sonos speaker system.

Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers - Pair Of Architectural Speakers By Sonance For Ambient Listening

AmazonWalmartBest BuyBest Buy

For

  • Beautiful sound
  • Great build quality

Against

  • Really expensive

Sonos provides an intriguing high-end option, joining forces with architectural speaker brand Sonance to give users all the benefits of its multi-room audio in a ceiling speaker.

Designed to work with the Sonos Amp for Trueplay - which takes into account the size, construction and layout of the room and tunes the sound accordingly - and also with the wider Sonos range, it's a great solution for those already embedded in the company's ecosystem.

For those who want a more basic experience, or simply don't care too much about the Amp and Trueplay integration, there are definitely other excellent-sounding options to consider.

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Acoustic Audio by Goldwood CS-IC83

Inexpensive and impressive

Filling your home with ceiling speakers is rarely more affordable or simple than with this set.

Acoustic Audio by Goldwood CS-IC83 8” 3-Way In Ceiling Home Theater Speaker System (White, 5 Speakers)

Amazon

For

  • Good value
  • More speakers in one set

Against

  • Quite sizeable
  • Slightly cheaply made

For those who want to fill out their ceiling with these flush-mounting speakers, Goldwood's CS-IC83 set is definitely one to consider.

Five speakers are included in the set, each featuring an 8-inch woofer, 13mm dome tweeters and three-way passive crossovers in order to improve fidelity.

As they go, this Acoustic Audio set is also relatively straightforward to install. You receive a handy cutting template in the box, with the speaker's four clamping clips sitting on the edge helping it stay locked in place once it's all set up.

Best ceiling speakers 2021: Top picks for home theatres and discreet playback photo 5
Amazon Basics 6.5" Round In-Ceiling In-Wall Mounted Speakers

Terrific sound for the price

Excellent sound reproduction for a very reasonable outlay - ideal for filling out your home audio setup.

Amazon Basics 6.5" Round In-Ceiling In-Wall Mounted Speakers, Set of 2

Amazon

For

  • Reliable quality
  • Solid value

Against

  • Not the most amazing sound

Those who want to remain on the entry-level end of ceiling speakers should keep this Amazon Basics pair in mind - the sound is respectable and the flush design is a breeze to install.

Packed inside each speaker (there's also an 8-inch pair to consider) is a two-way system featuring a 6.5-inch composite woofer and a 1-inch tweeter, helping provide detailed audio reproduction and clear stereo separation between the two.

In the box, much like other models, you'll also receive a template for your ceiling cut-out, as well as painting masks in case you want to spray them.

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Micca M-6C

Excellent for home cinema setups

With superb low-end output and effortless installation, Micca's option is a very solid consideration.

Micca M-6C 2-Way in Ceiling in Wall Speaker, 6.5 Inch Woofer, 1-Inch Pivoting Silk Dome Tweeter, 7.6-Inch Cutout Diameter, Each, White

Amazon

For

  • Great for movies
  • Funkier design than most

Against

  • Not as subtle

Like other budget options, Micca's M-6C comes with very strong sound capabilities, proving that you don't need to spend wild amounts to bolster your home audio setup.

It offers two-way sound, with the 6.5-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter assisted by a 6dB crossover and compensation network. This makes them a perfect complement to your home cinema setup, with the low-end frequency response proving excellent.

They can also easily be painted, giving you a bit more flexibility when it comes to blending them into the room.

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Klipsch R-1650-C

Great mid-range pick

Receive exquisite high and mid-bass sound with this offering.

Klipsch R-1650-C In-Ceiling Speaker - White (Each)

Amazon

Klipsch has plenty of in-wall and ceiling speakers for you to consider, but the R-1650-C is a great place to start looking.

It's by no means the cheapest speaker on this list, but it is one of the most well-rounded in terms of audio output. It packs in a 6.5-inch woofer, 1-inch tweeter - both helping to provide clear, room-filling treble and midrange sound.

The mounting clamps on the underside also make it a very simple install, while the grill can be painted to match the space, too.

How to choose your ceiling speakers

Picking the right ceiling speakers can be a big deal for your home, so be sure to think about the following questions as you make your choice.

What look are you going for?

It might sound obvious, but not every ceiling speaker looks the same. The template is generally similar, with a low-key grille over a small circular speaker unit, but there are different options out there when it comes to looks. If you are searching for a particular style, that'll help you, but it's also worth remembering that you could always paint over many of these options' speaker grilles to match your decor.

How many speakers do you need?

This is really two questions in one - if you figure out how many speakers you need for your room or home, that'll impact heavily on working out your budget. After all, it's a lot easier to stomach the price of a Sonos speaker system when you only need one or two speakers rather than 10 or 12.

How key is sound quality?

Also relating tightly to budget, sound quality is obviously a big question when it comes to ceiling speakers. Let's be honest, though - we're not all audiophiles! If you actually don't mind too much how subtle and complex your soundstage needs to be, then you'll be a happy buyer. If you do indeed feel strongly about quality, though, be sure to take some more time to check out differences in audio performance.

How do you want to connect to them?

Many of the speakers on our list let you connect via Bluetooth to control what's playing back, but if you have a specific type of connection in mind, like a hardwired option or Wi-Fi playback, be sure to double check which ones actually support it.