Short answer
Bottom-mount compressors usually suit hot, busy cooking lines: the condenser draws cooler air near the floor, is easy to reach for cleaning and raises the lowest shelf. Top-mount compressors keep the condenser away from floor-level dust, flour and debris, which some operators prefer in bakeries and dusty back rooms, but they breathe warmer air and can pull in rising grease vapour.
Heat rises, so a top-mount unit in a hot kitchen breathes the warmest air in the room, which makes the compressor work harder. That is the main reason bottom-mount units are common on busy cooking lines.
Flour, dust and grease all clog condenser coils. A condenser near the floor collects more flour and floor debris, while one on top of a unit beside fryers and ranges collects rising grease vapour, so weigh which your space has more of.
Whichever you choose, leave the clearance the manufacturer specifies for airflow and clean the condenser on a regular schedule. A blocked condenser is a common cause of refrigeration failures.
Updated · By Norpex