Laundry faucets come in a wide range of shapes and sizes designed for a variety of spaces. The primary differentiating factor between faucets is the method in which they are mounted to the sink itself. The most common types are center set, widespread, and wall mount. Other styles include mini-widespread and single-hole faucets.
A center-set laundry faucet consists of three primary components: a hot-water lever, a cold-water lever, and a water spout. The three components are spaced 4 inches (10.18 cm) from one another and attached to a mounting plate. Center-set faucets are mounted into the sink, requiring three separate holes to accommodate all of the parts. This style of faucet is ideal for compact locations, as it generally takes up the least amount of space when compared to the other designs.
The next popular choice for laundry faucets is the widespread design. Widespread faucets are almost identical to center-set faucets in design, the primary difference being that the three basic components are mounted directly onto the sink, anywhere from 8 to 16 inches (20.3 to 40.6 cm) apart from one another, eliminating the need for a mounting plate. Widespread faucets are ideal for larger utility sinks where space is not necessarily an issue.
Wall-mount faucets are ideal for areas where sink size is the primary factor. By mounting the faucet on the wall, as opposed to mounting onto the rear lip of the sink, it allows for a greater sink width, allowing the sink to expand further back than it could with standard-mount laundry faucets. Wall-mount faucets can also be mounted much higher on the wall, creating a greater clearance area for items to be placed into or removed form the sink itself.
For consumers who like the design of the widespread faucet, but prefer the size of the center-set faucet, the mini-widespread faucet offers the perfect compromise. Mini-widespread faucets utilize the 4-inch (10.18 cm) spacing found in a center-set faucet. Like the widespread faucets, they do not require a mounting plate and are attached directly to the sink itself. This makes the primary difference between the center-set faucet and the mini-widespread faucet a matter of personal visual taste.
Unlike the center-set faucets, a single-hole faucet combines both the hot- and cold-water controls and the water spout into a single unit. This reduces the number of mounting holes needed to just one. This makes single-hole laundry faucets the best choice for small, single-basin laundry sinks.