Single Tap or Dual Tap Kegerator: Key Differences

What the tap count means on a listing

The tap count on a kegerator listing is the number of faucets on the dispense tower. A single tap listing has one faucet, a dual tap listing has two. This count is one of the first facts a title states, and it tells you how many kegs the cabinet is set up to serve at the same time.

The words tap and faucet often mean the same part on a listing. A tap kit or dispense kit is the set of faucets and tower parts that come with the cabinet or are sold alongside it. When reading the bullet list, look for the faucet count if the title only gives the maker name.

The same maker can list the same cabinet line with a single tap tower and a dual tap tower. The cabinet body can be identical while the tower changes. When you compare two listings from the same maker, check the tap count line before the brand line. The count decides the serving setup, the brand name decides which maker page you read.

A title cannot tell you the tower height, the faucet material, or the spacing between taps. Those details live in the bullet list and the images. The tap count is a starting fact, not the full description.

Single tap kegerators explained

A single tap kegerator is built for one beer on draft. One faucet leads to one keg position, and when that keg empties you fit another keg in its place. This is the simplest listing to read and the easiest decision to make: one beer at a time is what you want.

Single tap listings often pair with the compact width names and the holds one keg phrase. They suit a first kegerator, a small home bar, or a space where cabinet width is limited. If you plan to rotate beers, a single tap still works, you simply change the keg each time.

A first-time buyer who is watching the budget tier on the site can read a single tap listing as the lower tap count group, then check the listed features. Fewer faucets mean fewer tower parts in the description, so the reading is shorter.

For a first purchase, start with the overall kegerator guide to compare types, then look at the single tap picks for listings that state a one faucet tower.

Dual tap kegerators explained

A dual tap kegerator has two faucets, so two kegs can sit ready to pour. That is the real difference from a single tap: you get a second beer without changing a keg. Listings in this group usually say dual tap in the title and may say the cabinet holds two kegs.

For a home bar, the dual tap is the middle ground between one beer and several. Two choices cover the common scenario of your own beer and a guest beer. The cabinet is often in the wider size names, but you are not locked in: a dual tap can run with one keg fitted while the second faucet stays idle.

The dual tap guide compares this group on stated details, and the triple tap guide shows the next step up.

How many taps you need as a buying question

Choose the tap count by the beers you want ready at once, not by the cabinet alone. Make a short list of your serving situation, then match it to a listing that states that count.

The common situations are easy to name:

One beer, refilled with another when it empties: a single tap listing.

Two beers for a home bar, guests, or variety: a dual tap listing.

Several beers for a shared house or small venue: a three or four tap listing.

One beer in a very narrow space: a single tap in a compact width name.

If the listing title does not state a tap count, read the bullet list for taps or faucets. A missing count means the seller did not state the detail, so you need to see the tower in the images or ask the seller. The title alone cannot tell you everything.

Taps and cabinet width on listings

Tap count and cabinet width usually move together on listings. The compact width names, 15 inch and 18 inch, mostly appear with single tap towers. The common 24 inch size name and the wider commercial names are where dual tap and multi tap towers show up on this site.

Read the width stated on the listing and the tap count in the title as two separate facts. A single tap can appear in a wide cabinet, and a dual tap can appear in a compact one, so the width line and the tap count line must agree with what you see in the images.

For a built-in look, the undercounter size names pair with either tap count, but the kitchen buyer usually picks the tap count first and then checks the width. The undercounter guide follows that order.

For size names, see the 24 inch kegerator guide and the 15 inch kegerator guide.

Reading tap details in the bullet list

A well-stated listing gives the tap count, the tower style (single faucet or double faucet tower), and the faucet finish. Read those lines together. The tower hole count, the spacing between faucets, and the tower height are separate details covered in the learn articles on towers.

Look for these lines when you open a listing:

Faucet count: tells you the number of taps.

Tower style: describes how the faucets are arranged.

Cabinet width: tells you where the cabinet will fit.

Holds one keg or holds two kegs: tells you the keg setup.

For the detailed tower words, the learn article on tower tap spacing and the one on double tap towers explain how the faucets relate to the cabinet.

What a title cannot say: the tap count does not tell you the faucet material, the tower height, or whether shelves and a drip tray are included. Those facts always need a line in the description or a look at the images.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

What does single tap mean on a kegerator?

It means the dispense tower has one faucet, so the cabinet is set up for one beer on draft at a time.

What does dual tap mean on a kegerator?

It means the tower has two faucets, so two kegs can sit ready and you can switch between two beers without changing a keg.

Can a dual tap run with one keg?

Yes. One keg fits the first position, and the second faucet stays idle until you fit another keg.

How many taps do I need for a home bar?

One tap for a personal beer, two taps for a home bar with guests, and three or more for a shared space or small venue.

Does more taps mean a wider cabinet?

On many listings yes, but read the width and the tap count as separate details. They must match what the seller shows.

What is a tap kit on a listing?

It is the set of faucets and tower parts, either included with the cabinet or sold separately. Read the box contents to see which case applies.

What if the tap count is not stated?

Read the bullet list for taps or faucets, look at the tower in the images, and ask the seller before you buy.