Centerset Vs. Widespread Faucets [8 Differences Explained]

From my experience, centerset and widespread faucets are amongst the most popular faucets for homeowners. It may be hard to tell the difference. But at the end of this article, you’ll differentiate and have enough comparison information to choose your best choice. 

Choosing faucets for kitchens or bathrooms can be tricky because of the numerous options available. There are hundreds of faucet options, and you’ll not like the outcome if you make a mistake. 

You should consider many factors when choosing a faucet. This includes the design, size of the kitchen and bathrooms, and, more importantly, the faucet’s functionality. 

Centerset and widespread are amongst the most effective option influencing the 7.4% revenue growth rate in the faucet market. While they look alike, the faucets’ design and installation process are the main difference.

Let’s compare these faucet options and determine the better choice: 

JUMP TO: Comparision Table | About Centerset Faucet | About Widespread Faucet | Differences Between Ceterset & Widespread Faucets |

Quick Overview – A Comparison Table

PARAMETER	CENTERSET FAUCETS	WIDESPREAD FAUCETS
Design	Beautiful and comes as a single unit.	Beautiful and has separate handles
Installation	Installed on a base plate	Doesn’t require base plates
Functionality	Better For small sinks	Requires more space
Maintenance	More complex cleaning processes required	Easy to clean
Style Variety	The limited style is mostly for kitchens and some bathrooms	Various styles to suit kitchen and bathrooms
Size	Compact design.
Installation and repair complexity	Easy to install but complex to repair	Harder to install but easier to repair.

CAUTION: Sometimes, center seats are referred to as mini widespread faucets. 

Are Centerset Faucets Good?

Before you compare centerset vs. widespread faucets, you need to know the benefits of each. 

The centerset faucet is one of the most popular because of its compact design. All the faucet parts usually use the same base plate. 

A centerset faucet is a popular option for a bathroom sink where space management is necessary. The handles and other parts of the faucets come as a single unit. 

However, you’ll get three pre-drilled holes with a centerset faucet. Two of these holes are for the faucet handles, while the single hole is for the faucet spout. 

The single nature ensures easy kitchen or bathroom faucet installation, irrespective of the three-hole configuration. 

You may also see people call this type of faucet the four-inch faucet. That’s because the distance between the faucet spout and the spigot handles is usually four inches on both sides. 

Some bathroom faucets with a centerset design come with six inches in between the spaces. If the bathrooms have a bit of space, then the six inches is a great option. 

Whether you’re installing into a sink or countertop, centerset faucets will help you save a lot of space. 

TIPS: Centerset faucets are handy for a smaller bathroom or a small sink. They save space since you install them as one unit.

Pros

• It has a compact nature and is great for a smaller sink.
• This faucet type has multiple design options 
• It’s easy to install this type of faucet. 

Cons

• Cleaning these types of faucets can be tricky because of the single-unit connection.

Also Read: Kitchen Faucet Vs. Bar Faucet

Are Widespread Faucets Good?

The widespread faucet is another option for your bathroom and kitchen sinks. This faucet comes with separate handles and spouts that require individual installation. These separate components mean that the widespread faucet is better for a larger sink and not for smaller bathrooms. 

The faucet handles are different from each other, as well as the spout. So, you have the liberty to install it to your taste. This option is common in a kitchen sink that requires a large water supply. 

Installing a widespread faucet requires a lot of space, but you get freedom during installation. You can pick a component based on your preference and kitchen sink needs. 

You can even use the same space requirements as the centerset faucet. All you need to do is get the measurements of the sink or countertop before installation. 

If you even make a mistake during installation, you can always adjust and refurbish with widespread faucets.

You don’t need to use a deck plate to install the widespread faucets, but you will need three holes. The hole choices are completely your choice, but you should fix it to your bathroom sink requirements. 

Pros

• It’s easy to clean this faucet type
• The installation process gives you the liberty to choose what you want. 
• It’s comfortable because of the easy cleaning due to the various components. 
• There’s room to adjust the widespread, unlike other faucets. 

Cons

• It usually requires professional installation and repair.

Related Read: Are Faucet Aerators Universal?

Is Center Faucet or Widespread Faucet Better?: Head-to-Head Comparison

Widespread vs. centerset faucets are a common comparison because they are both popular options. However, you won’t regret choosing either the centerset or the widespread faucet. 

Centerset or widespread faucets are great options, but we’ll have to compare them based on some parameters. 

Appearance and Style 

Multiple reports show how a single faucet placement can beautify your home..

Both widespread and centerset faucets have a beautiful appearance. In most cases, both options will improve the aesthetics of your home.

The centerset faucets come as a unit, while the widespread faucets have different parts. You can install one part of the widespread faucet as a wall mount with other parts on the sink. 

Because of the single-unit faucet designs of the centersets, you don’t have the liberty of where to install it. You’ll only need faucet holes for the deck plate to hold the single unit of the faucet handles and spout.

On the other hand, the widespread faucet requires three holes of your choosing. This freedom can make your faucet spread however you want it. 

Both widespread and centerset faucets have multiple designs. But because of the freedom of the widespread faucets, there are more varieties.

Verdict: Centerset faucets are beautiful but limited because of the single-unit design. However, widespread faucets have multiple faucet design options. 

Installation Process

Whether you want a faucet spread across different places or you want it together in a place, it depends on the installation procedure. 

Also known as mini spread faucets, centerset faucets are very easy to install since they come as one unit. The centerset faucet install process is a plug-and-play situation because you only need to fix it into the faucet hole. 

Also, the installation process is the same regardless of the sink type. Whether you’re installing into pedestal sinks or a vessel sink, the centerset process is the same. However, this installation process means you don’t have liberty on design. 

Widespread faucets give you a lot more freedom during installation. However, you’ll need more than two holes to install these widespread faucets. In most cases, you will require some professional help. 

You can put the cold water handle far away from the hot water counterpart. You can even have one handle in the sink and another in the master bath. 

Verdict: Installing centerset such as kitchen or bathroom faucets is easier, so it has a slight edge over widespread faucet installation. However, widespread faucets give you more design freedom, which is crucial for bathroom faucets.

Sizing

Most, if not all, centerset faucets have their spigot handles, and faucet handles four inches apart from each other. Therefore, it usually comes in a compact design that can fit into tight kitchen sinks and small bathrooms. 

This compact shape makes it flexible with its functions since it can work at different points. It’s, however, better with smaller sinks. 

Widespread faucets, on the other hand, come in different separate parts and their respective sizes. So it’s better to place this in larger bathrooms with enough space for your faucet. 

It’s a great choice for drop-in sinks or locations with a large water supply. 

Verdict: Centerset faucets have a compact nature and will help you manage tight spaces. Widespread faucets are usually bigger and require plenty of space. Both the widespread and centerset faucets are great depending on space constraints.

Maintenance

No matter how much you compare widespread and centerset faucets, both never last forever. You’ll, at one point or the other, require repair on your existing faucet. 

If you have a centerset faucet, you may need to replace the whole faucet. That’s because the faucet handle and the spout are together. A problem with one component affects the faucet as a whole. 

On the other hand, if it’s widespread, faucet maintenance is a bit easier. You can deal with each component that has gone bad. 

These types of faucets give you room for specific repairs. For instance, if a faucet handle gets bad, you only need to replace the handle – not the whole faucet. 

Verdict: Maintaining and replacing parts of a widespread faucet is much easier than the centerset faucets. 

Functionality

Functionality should be the most important factor when choosing a faucet or comparing a widespread and centerset faucet.

Widespread and centerset faucets are very functional individually. It mostly depends on how you use them. 

If you want a large water supply for a master bath, drop-in sinks, or pedestal sink, the widespread faucet is a better option. It doesn’t mean that the centerset doesn’t supply enough water. 

Verdict: As long as you determine your needs before purchasing, the centerset or widespread faucet is a great option. 

Flexibility

Making mistakes during installation isn’t bad, especially as a DIYer. However, some mistakes are salvageable. 

If you install a centerset with base plates and there’s a mistake, making corrections may be hard. However, if you install a widespread faucet, there’s room for adjustments based on your needs. 

More so, the widespread faucets come in different designs, giving them more flexibility. 

Verdict: Widespread faucets offer you more functional flexibility due to the various components. 

Cleaning

Your centerset and widespread faucets can add to the aesthetics of kitchens or bathrooms aesthetics. At the same time, they can damage it if they’re dirty. 

Like you, everyone loves a faucet with simple cleaning techniques. 

Centerset faucets have components together with four or six inches between them. Cleaning is a bit daunting if the little spaces between the centerset faucet components get dirty. While it’s not impossible, cleaning is not easy. 

On the other hand, the faucet components of a widespread faucet are separate. As such, you have enough room to clean each component how you like. 

Verdict: It’s easier to clean a widespread faucet than a centerset faucet. 

Cost

If you’re installing a new faucet, the cost is always an influential factor to consider. 

The cost of widespread and centerset faucets is not too far apart – hence the comparison. However, widespread faucets are usually a little more expensive than centerset because of the separate components. 

Also, you’ll most likely save on installation labor with the centerset faucets. You can install these types of faucets yourself and won’t need help. 

On the other hand, widespread faucets require professional installation from the start. 

Verdict: Widespread faucets usually cost slightly more in a home improvement store than centerset faucets. 

Final Verdict

Comparing centerset and widespread faucets is a common debate that will probably never end. Both faucet options have their respective advantages and shortcomings. But both options are great for kitchens or bathrooms.

The best way to pick the best option between the centerset and the widespread faucet is to know what you need. What type of sink do you have, and how much water supply do you need? These are some of the questions to ask yourself. 

A better way to do this is to hire an expert to speak to you about your needs and help pick the best option.