I'm a big proponent of top loaders of any kind.
Used them in built-in situations for years on my sailboats.
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The physics... as I understand them.
It sort of depends on what kind of "mass" is in the fridge, i.e., what's in the fridge?
How much of it is air and how much of it is cold, mostly solid or liquid items (i.e., the food)?
On a side door unit the air will fall out when the door is opened and the replacement air will need to be cooled. However, the solid & liquid items (which if are already cold and if they don't fall out for long periods of time and change temperature) will also help the compressor cool the new replacement air.
Thus, on a side door unit the compressor will most likely need to operate to help cool the new air. Air can be cooled relatively quickly, the smaller the amount the faster. The biggest deal with a side door installation is how well does the door seal when closed. Leaking air will not be good for keeping things cold.
Virtually (a weasel word) none of the air falls out with a top loader (and the cold, solid & liquid items don't fall out either). So the compressor will not have to operate very much to cool any new air, because there isn't much new air to cool.
Now, convience of getting to your food, well, that's a personal preference.
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In all cases, initially load the units with already cold, solid & liquid items and keep the door open for only short periods of time (i.e., mostly closed) and the compressor will not have to operate much as most that I have seen, of all types, are very well insulated in today's world.
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Data,
If some one else can post how many amps it takes to cool a side door unit, I can post how many amps it takes to cool a top loader of 1.5 cf in size.
Let's say from 75 degrees F to 35 degrees F, my Indel marine grade, top load fridge in my partially owner completed interior buildout of a Bobcat shell takes 3.5 amps over a 20 minute period of time. It will hold that temp thru various openings of the lid and adding and removal of food items of various temps using only an average of 0.7 amps per hour. I can also use my second Indel as a freezer, using 3.9 amps in 30 minutes from 75 degrees F to 30 degrees F and holding that temp with 0.9 amps per hour. Ah, this test was done with the unit empty, temperature readings were from my VWR 21800-076 digital thermometer with bottle probe.
P.S. thanks to the WTW members that pointed me in the right direction for purchaing solar panels, charge controller and for the above data... the Mornigstar Remote Meter to gather that data. The solar panel threads on this forum are great. Thanks.
