One lever or two? It is the first decision most faucet shoppers face. This Bathify guide covers how each controls temperature, how many holes each needs, installation, cost, maintenance, and the picks worth buying - with both styles in the same design family.
Answer first: choose a single-handle faucet if you want the simplest daily use, a clean single-hole look, and the easiest installation - it is the right call for most modern bathrooms. Choose a two-handle faucet if you want separate hot and cold control, a more traditional or tailored look, and the presence of a three-piece widespread set across a larger vanity.
At Bathify, the handle question is the one we field most often when a customer starts a faucet project, and our honest take is that it is a style-and-layout decision far more than a performance one - both types deliver the same water, reliably, when built with a quality ceramic cartridge. Because we carry both in the same Riobel Riu design family, you can see exactly how one design looks as a single-lever faucet versus a two-handle widespread set before you commit. This guide sits under our full bathroom faucet buying guide.
One handle blends hot and cold in a single lever for fast, one-hand use and a minimal footprint. Two handles separate hot and cold for precise control and a classic, symmetrical look. Match the handle count to your sink's holes and your bathroom's style, and either will serve you well for years.
A single-handle faucet uses one lever to control both water temperature and flow. Pushing the lever up or down changes the volume; moving it left or right blends hot and cold water inside a single mixing cartridge. It almost always mounts in a single hole.
A two-handle faucet (also called a double-handle or dual-handle faucet) has two separate controls - one for hot, one for cold - set on either side of the spout. By long-standing US plumbing convention, hot is on the left and cold is on the right. Two-handle faucets come in two common layouts: a compact centerset, where the handles and spout sit on one base with the outer handles about 4 inches apart, and a widespread, where the spout and two handles are separate pieces spaced about 8 inches apart. At Bathify, our two-handle lavatory faucets are widespread 8-inch designs, which give a vanity a more substantial, custom-fitted look.
The single-handle faucet is the most-searched and, in our experience at Bathify, the most-requested style for new and contemporary bathrooms. One lever does everything, which is why it dominates minimalist and modern designs where a clean, uncluttered deck is the goal.
- One-hand operation - set temp and flow in a single motion
- Minimal single-hole footprint; clean, modern look
- Easiest to install (one hole, one connection point)
- Typically lower cost than a matching widespread set
- One cartridge to service if it ever drips
- Less precise than independent hot/cold control
- Can look under-scaled on a very wide double vanity
- Less traditional character than a two-handle set
At Bathify, our best-value single-handle faucet is the modern, square-profile Riobel Kubik Single Hole Lavatory Faucet, and our classic all-rounder is the Riobel Riu Single Hole Lavatory Faucet - both single-hole, both with a durable ceramic cartridge and a push drain included.
The two-handle faucet is the classic choice, and at Bathify it remains a strong seller for traditional, transitional, and classic-modern bathrooms. Separate hot and cold handles give you fine temperature control and a symmetrical, three-piece layout that reads as more tailored and substantial on a larger vanity.
- Precise, independent hot and cold control
- Classic, symmetrical look for traditional vanities
- Widespread layout anchors a larger or double sink
- Each valve is independent and serviceable on its own
- Choice of lever or cross handles for period style
- Two hands (or two motions) to balance temperature
- Needs 2-3 holes; more involved installation
- Two valves means two potential drip points
- Usually costs more than a single-handle equivalent
At Bathify, the Riobel Riu 8" Lavatory Faucet is our go-to two-handle widespread set with a clean lever look, while the Riobel Riu 8" with Cross Handles delivers a more traditional, heritage profile - same Riu family, so it coordinates with the single-hole version elsewhere in the home.
| Factor | Single-Handle | Two-Handle |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature control | One lever blends hot & cold | Separate hot & cold handles |
| Ease of daily use | Easiest - one hand | Two motions |
| Holes needed | 1 (deck plate optional) | 2-3 (centerset or widespread) |
| Install difficulty | Easiest | Moderate |
| Best style match | Modern, minimalist, compact | Traditional, transitional, larger vanity |
| Footprint | Minimal | Wider (up to ~8") |
| Maintenance points | One cartridge | Two valves |
| Typical cost | Lower | Higher |
| At Bathify | Riobel Kubik, Riobel Riu single-hole | Riobel Riu 8", Riu 8" Cross Handles |
The single most important practical step is confirming your sink's hole count before you buy, because handle count and hole count have to line up. At Bathify, we tell customers: a single-handle faucet needs one hole; a two-handle widespread set needs three (two handle holes plus the spout); a centerset two-handle faucet also uses three holes but on a single 4-inch base.
If you love a single-handle faucet but your existing sink is drilled for three holes, you can still use it - just add a matching deck plate (escutcheon) to cover the two outer holes. Going the other way (a widespread set into a single-hole sink) is not possible without re-drilling. Our dedicated guides on how many holes your sink needs and single-hole vs centerset vs widespread cover every combination. If you are mounting the faucet to the wall instead of the deck, see our wall-mount faucet guide, and for raised basins our vessel sink faucet guide - vessel faucets are single-handle by design.
Maintenance is where a single-handle faucet has a small, honest edge: it has one cartridge to service, so if a drip ever develops there is only one part to swap. A two-handle faucet has two independent valves, which means two possible drip points - but each one is simple and isolated, so a leak in the hot side never touches the cold.
At Bathify, the far bigger durability factor is the valve technology, not the handle count. Every single-handle and two-handle faucet we carry from Riobel uses a ceramic-disc cartridge, which resists the wear that caused constant dripping in older rubber-washer faucets. Whichever handle style you choose, a quality ceramic cartridge is what keeps it drip-free for the long run - so we would not pick one handle count over the other purely for maintenance.
If accessibility is a priority, a single-handle lever is the easier choice. The U.S. Access Board's ADA Accessibility Standards call for faucet controls that can be operated with one hand without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist - and a single lever meets that comfortably, since it can be nudged with a wrist or forearm. A two-handle faucet with lever (not knob) handles can also work well; at Bathify, we steer accessibility-focused projects toward single-lever faucets first.
Water efficiency does not depend on handle count. Both styles can be highly efficient: a WaterSense-labeled bathroom faucet uses no more than 1.5 gallons per minute, about 30% less than the older 2.2 gpm standard. When flow efficiency matters to you, look for the WaterSense label on the spec sheet rather than counting handles.
Both handle styles come in the same finishes, so this is purely about coordination. Across our Riobel lavatory faucets, Bathify stocks chrome, polished nickel, brushed nickel, black, and brushed gold - and our team suggests matching the faucet finish to your drain and hardware first, then to your mirror frame and lighting.
One practical note we give Bathify customers planning a whole bathroom: because the Riobel Riu line is offered as a single-hole single-handle faucet, an 8-inch two-handle widespread, a tall vessel faucet, and a wall-mount, you can mix handle styles between the main bath and a powder room while keeping one consistent finish and design language throughout the home. For help pairing the faucet finish with the rest of the room, start from the bathroom faucet buying guide.
Modern / minimalist bath: single-handle, single-hole (Riobel Kubik or Riu).
Traditional / transitional bath: two-handle widespread (Riobel Riu 8" with cross handles).
Small bath or powder room: single-handle, single-hole - smallest footprint.
Large or double vanity: two-handle widespread to anchor the wider deck.
Accessibility priority: single-handle lever.
Replacing a 3-hole faucet quickly: two-handle widespread (direct fit), or single-handle with a deck plate.
Bathify carries both handle styles from Riobel, several within the same Riu design family so you can match the look across a project. These are our standout picks in each category. Browse the full range in the sink faucets collection.
Our most affordable single-handle lavatory faucet and the easiest entry point into the single-lever look. The crisp, square Kubik profile suits modern and contemporary vanities, mounts in one hole, and runs on a durable ceramic cartridge. A push drain is included, so it is close to a complete package out of the box.
Our classic single-handle daily driver. The Riu's clean, rounded silhouette works across modern and transitional bathrooms, and it is the single-hole half of the Riu family - so it coordinates with the Riu 8" two-handle set if you want matching styles in different rooms. Ceramic cartridge, push drain included, and the widest finish range we carry.
Our go-to two-handle widespread set with a clean, modern lever look. The three-piece 8-inch layout gives separate hot and cold control and a substantial presence on a full-size vanity. Same Riu design language and finish options as the single-hole version, so you can keep one look across the home. Ceramic cartridges and a push drain.
The traditional take on the Riu widespread: cross handles in place of levers give it a heritage, tailored character that suits classic and transitional bathrooms. An 8-inch three-piece set with the same ceramic-cartridge reliability and finish range as the rest of the Riu family. The pick when you want separate hot and cold control with a timeless look.
Pick by style and sink layout - both perform the same when well built
Choose single-handle if: you want the easiest one-hand use, a clean single-hole look, the simplest install, a smaller footprint, or a lower price. At Bathify: Riobel Kubik (value) or Riobel Riu single-hole (classic).
Choose two-handle if: you want separate hot and cold control, a traditional or transitional look, or a widespread set to anchor a larger vanity. At Bathify: Riobel Riu 8" (lever) or Riu 8" with cross handles (traditional).
Still unsure? For most modern US bathrooms, we lean single-handle for everyday simplicity. For a classic or statement vanity, a two-handle widespread set earns its place. Either way, confirm your sink's hole count first, and choose a quality ceramic cartridge.
Shop Bathroom Faucets at Bathify
Single-handle and two-handle lavatory faucets from Riobel - in chrome, brushed nickel, matte black, polished nickel and brushed gold. Match the look across your whole bathroom. Free shipping on orders over $50, shipped across the USA.
