Centerset vs widespread bathroom faucets
This is not a style choice. It is a measurement between the holes already drilled in your sink, and it rules out most of the faucets you are looking at.
By Sawyer V. · · How we research
The short answer
We earn a commission if you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we pick or what we say about them — here is exactly how that works.
Quick picks
Tap any row for the full write-up. Prices are checked against Amazon rather than remembered — where we have no verified figure the button says so.
| # | Product | Best for | Renter | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Conway One-Handle High Arc Bathroom Faucet A 4 in. centerset single-handle with a deckplate included, WaterSense and ADA compliant. | A sink drilled at 4 in. centers | Owner-only | |
| 2 |  Trinsic Single Handle Bathroom Faucet Published for 1 or 3-hole 4 in. installations at 1.2 gpm, with a ceramic disc cartridge. | A single hole, or a 4 in. sink with a deckplate | Owner-only | |
| 3 |  Devonshire Widespread Bathroom Sink Faucet, 1.2 gpm Published for 8 to 16 in. centers at 1.2 gpm, with ceramic disc valves and a metal drain. | A sink drilled at 8 to 16 in. | Owner-only |
Measure before you shop
Look under the sink or at the deck. If there are three holes, measure center to center between the two outer ones. That single number decides your format:
- 4 in. — centerset. The spout and both handles are one unit on a shared base.
- 8 to 16 in. — widespread. Spout and handles are separate, joined under the deck.
- One hole — single-hole. A one-piece faucet, usually single-handle.
Delta publishes “3-hole 6-16 in. widespread installations” on its Nicoli, so the widespread window is not identical across makers. Read the spec, not the category name.
What changes besides the holes
Install time. A centerset lands as one body with one gasket. A widespread is three pieces to align and seal, and its handles connect to the spout with flexible lines under the deck.
Cleaning. A centerset has one footprint to wipe; a widespread has three, and the gaps between them.
Reach. Published spout reach in our catalog runs 4.56 in. on the Genta LX, 4.63 on the Genta, 5.86 on the Findlay, 5-7/8 in. on the Devonshire and 6.00 on the Darcy. A short reach on a wide basin means washing your hands against the back of the bowl.
Flow rate: published by some, not all
Delta and Kohler publish 1.2 gpm at 60 psi on the Trinsic, Nicoli and Devonshire. Moen publishes WaterSense compliance on the Genta, Genta LX, Findlay and Darcy but no flow figure on those product pages. WaterSense for lavatory faucets is a real threshold; a stated number is still better than a label.
Can you convert one to the other?
- Single-hole faucet into a 3-hole sink: yes, with a deckplate. Both Moen Gentas publish a deckplate included.
- Widespread into a 4 in. sink: no. The handles will not reach the holes.
- Centerset into an 8 in. sink: no, for the same reason in reverse.
Which is why the measurement comes first and the finish comes last. Finishes are compared here, once you know what fits.
If you rent
Faucets rate Owner-only: supply lines, a drain assembly and access under the sink. It is the landlord’s fitting and the landlord’s plumber. The faucet ranking is here.
Every pick in full
3 we would buy. Each carries its Renter-Safe Install Rating, the published specs behind it, and the honest gap in what we know.
1. The centerset answer
Conway One-Handle High Arc Bathroom Faucet
Moen · WS84923 · best for a sink drilled at 4 in. centers
A 4 in. centerset single-handle with a deckplate included, WaterSense and ADA compliant.
Moen’s Conway publishes a “4″ centerset design allows for easy installation”, fitting “One Or Three Hole” sinks, with a 5.13 in. spout reach and a plastic drain assembly on a lift rod.
It also publishes that it “meets EPA WaterSense® criteria” and “complies with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifications”.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- None
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- None
- Reversible on move-out
- No
Why: Replacing a faucet means shutting off the supplies, disconnecting and reconnecting both feeds and the drain. No holes are made, but the plumbing belongs to the property and this is not a tenant's change to make.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Moen — Conway WS84923, published WaterSense and ADA compliance, centerset design, spout reach, drain and warranty. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What’s wrong with it
The drain assembly is plastic rather than metal, and it comes in two finishes rather than four.
What we can’t tell you
Moen does not publish a flow rate figure for it on the product page.
Published specifications
| Water efficiency | “meets EPA WaterSense® criteria to conserve water without sacrificing performance” |
|---|---|
| Accessibility | “complies with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifications” |
| Installation | “4” centerset design allows for easy installation”; “One Or Three Hole” |
| Spout reach | 5.13 in. |
| Finishes | Chrome and Spot Resist Brushed Nickel |
| Drain | Plastic assembly with a lift rod |
| Warranty | “limited lifetime warranty” |
| Flow rate | Not published on the product page |
| Spout height | Not published on the product page |
#ad Price $84.75 as of October 18, 2026. Prices change; Amazon’s listing is the one that counts. How we’re funded.
2. The one that fits either
Trinsic Single Handle Bathroom Faucet
Delta · 559LF-MPU · best for a single hole, or a 4 in. sink with a deckplate
Published for 1 or 3-hole 4 in. installations at 1.2 gpm, with a ceramic disc cartridge.
Delta’s Trinsic publishes “1 or 3-hole 4 in. installations” and “1.2 gpm @ 60 psi”, with a cartridge tested for “500,000 uses” and certification to “NSF/ANSI Standard 61”.
A single-hole faucet with an optional deckplate is the most flexible thing to buy if you are also replacing the sink, because it fits either drilling.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- None
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- None
- Reversible on move-out
- No
Why: Plumbing work on the property's supplies and drain. A current model rather than a discontinued one, which matters more in this category than most.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Delta — Trinsic 559LF-MPU, published 1.2 gpm, valve life, finishes and certifications. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What’s wrong with it
On a three-hole sink it needs the deckplate, and the deckplate is a visible plate.
What we can’t tell you
Delta publishes no warranty term on the product page.
Published specifications
| Flow rate | “1.2 gpm @ 60 psi, 4.5 L/min @ 414 kPa” |
|---|---|
| Water efficiency | WaterSense labeled — “uses at least 20% less water than the industry standard” |
| Accessibility | Published as ADA compliant |
| Installation | “1 or 3-hole 4 in. installations” |
| Spout height | 6-1/4 in. with the handle off; 7-1/4 in. in the full open position |
| Valve | “Euromotion DIAMOND™ Valve” ceramic disc cartridge, tested for “500,000 uses” |
| Drain | “Metal drain assembly” with pop-up |
| Finishes | Chrome, champagne bronze, matte black, polished nickel, stainless and Venetian bronze |
| Certification | “Tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 61”, no-lead compliant |
| Warranty | “Lifetime Limited Warranty” |
| Spout reach | Not published |
Source: Delta — Trinsic 559LF-MPU, published 1.2 gpm, valve life, finishes and certifications
#ad Price $230.99 as of October 18, 2026 $244.90 (6% off). Prices change; Amazon’s listing is the one that counts. How we’re funded.
3. The widespread answer
Devonshire Widespread Bathroom Sink Faucet, 1.2 gpm
Kohler · K-394-4 · best for a sink drilled at 8 to 16 in.
Published for 8 to 16 in. centers at 1.2 gpm, with ceramic disc valves and a metal drain.
Kohler’s Devonshire publishes “For 8" to 16" centers”, “1.2 gpm (4.5 lpm) maximum flow rate at 60 psi”, a “5-7/8"” reach and “KOHLER® ceramic disc valves”.
The range in that first figure is the format’s advantage: a widespread faucet adapts to a spread rather than requiring one exact spacing. The widespread faucets are ranked here.
Renter-Safe Install Rating
- Drilling
- None
- Tools
- Not published
- Time to fit
- Not published
- Power
- None
- Reversible on move-out
- No
Why: Plumbing work on the property's supplies and drain, even with Kohler's quick-connect fittings.
Read from published documentation, not from fitting one. Kohler — Devonshire K-394-4 specification sheet. How the verdict is derived: renter-safe ratings explained.
What’s wrong with it
Three separate pieces means three seals under the sink, and a longer install.
What we can’t tell you
Kohler publishes ADA compliance “for handles only”, not for the whole fitting.
Published specifications
| Installation | “For 8" – 16" (203 – 406 mm) centers”; widespread |
|---|---|
| Flow rate | “1.2 gpm (4.5 lpm) maximum flow rate at 60 psi” |
| Spout reach | “5-7/8" (149 mm)” |
| Valves | “KOHLER® ceramic disc valves exceed industry longevity standards” |
| Drain | “Includes metal pop-up drain with 1-1/4" (32 mm) tailpiece” |
| Fitting | Handles preassembled on the valves; quick-connect fittings |
| Certifications | WaterSense; NSF/ANSI 61 and 372; “ADA compliant for handles only” |
| Finishes | Polished Chrome, Vibrant Polished Brass, Vibrant Brushed Nickel, Oil-Rubbed Bronze |
| Warranty | KOHLER Faucet Lifetime Limited Warranty |
#ad Price $271.28 as of October 18, 2026 $289.74 (6% off). Prices change; Amazon’s listing is the one that counts. How we’re funded.
Where to buy
Everything recommended on this page, in one place. Each link is an Amazon Associates link — we earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it never decides a pick.
- $84.75View on Amazon
Conway One-Handle High Arc Bathroom Faucet
Moen · WS84923 · Renter verdict: Owner-only
- $230.99View on Amazon
Trinsic Single Handle Bathroom Faucet
Delta · 559LF-MPU · Renter verdict: Owner-only
- $271.28View on Amazon
Devonshire Widespread Bathroom Sink Faucet, 1.2 gpm
Kohler · K-394-4 · Renter verdict: Owner-only
#ad Prices are not shown because we only publish figures we have verified on the day. How we’re funded.
Questions people actually ask
how do i know if my faucet is centerset or widespread
Measure center to center between the outer holes in the sink. Four inches is centerset; 8 to 16 in. is widespread. Kohler publishes its Devonshire for 8 to 16 in. centers, and Moen publishes a 4 in. centerset design on the Genta.
can you put a widespread faucet in a 4 inch sink
No. A widespread faucet's handles mount in the outer holes, which sit 8 in. or more apart. A 4 in. sink needs a centerset or a single-hole faucet with a deckplate.
what is a single hole faucet
A one-piece faucet that mounts in one hole, usually with a single handle. Delta publishes its Trinsic for 1 or 3-hole 4 in. installations, so with a deckplate it also fits a three-hole sink.
which is easier to install, centerset or widespread
Centerset. It lands as one body with one gasket, where a widespread is three separate pieces to align and seal under the deck.
Sources
- Moen — Conway WS84923 product page (4 in. centerset, spout reach, WaterSense, ADA)
- Delta — Trinsic 559LF-MPU product page (1 or 3-hole 4 in. installations, 1.2 gpm, cartridge, NSF 61)
- Kohler — Devonshire K-394-4 specification sheet (8 to 16 in. centers, 1.2 gpm, reach, ceramic valves)
- Delta — Nicoli 35749LF product page (3-hole 6-16 in. widespread installations, 1.2 gpm)
Read next
Back to Fixtures & Fittings.