True Refrigeration Refrigerator, Reach-in
Which is the best? Top Mount versus Bottom Mount
This has been a debate for many years with no clear winner. Most leading manufacturers offer models with both top and bottom mount compressors and condensing coils. We have come up with these reasons to consider one type versus the other.
Reasons a Top Mount Refrigerator is Better:
- A kitchen is dirtiest near the floor. Top mount refrigeration keeps the condensing coils up away from the dirt and grease better than a bottom mount. With the same cleaning schedule the cleaner coils will use less energy and in theory last longer than a bottom mount.
Reasons a Bottom Mount Refrigerator is Better:
- You can use the top of the refrigerator for dry goods storage on a bottom mount refrigerator. Storage space in a kitchen is precious.
- You do not have to bend over as far to place items on the bottom shelf/Floor of the refrigerator because the floor of a bottom mount refrigerator is a foot or more higher than that of a top mount refrigerator. Might this feature alone prevent one injury to an employee?
- When performing maintenance like cleaning the evaporator coils, a ladder is not required in order to see what you are doing.
- Kitchens are hot. Heat and steam rise so it is cooler near the floor than it is 6 or 7 feet up in the air. A bottom mount refrigerator keeps the condensing coils in the cooler part of the kitchen meaning they will operate with less energy use and more efficiently and in theory last longer than a top mount refrigerator.
Nothing conclusive so far and there are thousands of each type sold each year and customers loyal to both types. Only you can decide which works best for your specific needs.
Do you have any questions about which of the thousands of models of commercial restaurant refrigerators is best for you, or can you offer suggestions about top mount versus bottom mount. Feel free to share those with us using the convenient form below.
