Are HDD Coolers recommended?

I've read places that Hard Drive Coolers aren't really recommended as they mess the air circulation up :S can this be true?

I have this one stored away, just wondering if I should at it onto my HDD?

Speeze, Running Computers Cool & Quiet

it depends really. If they are sending the air the same direction as everything else e.g

back of case air
< ---------- <----------------

then this shouldnt interrupt it at all, i have 2 case fans at the front of my case and one is where the hard drive is located but as it is blowing air in then it is fine. Although it can do something's like make it hotter (cpu etc) as it is blowing air over the hd which then transfer's it's heat to the air and then that slightly hotter air goes too the cpu. This shouldnt really effect it though as hard drives are normally cool and all components produce heat so it in inevitable.

Hope this helped.

edit: i just noticed that these clipped on so kinda ignore the top part. They will do worse i think as it would take the heat directly and put up and then it would take longer around the case and heat up much more. Its better to just have 1 or 2 fans in front of it or behidn it sucking air from the front of the case.

i gotchya :)

although it is probably good at keeping the hard drive cool i just never heard of heard drives over heating and out of the lot ive had over the years they never are hot after use and so a basic cooler should be good enough.

My old Seagate SCSIs used to overheat. Maybe Raptors will if you have several or a case with poor airflow.

I've got a Silentmax Hdd cooler - dont know if it aids cooling that much but it really makes a difference to the noise level - just about inaudible !

if your case has inadequate cooling or airflow then they're recommended. My old Antec 900 did a fantastic job of cooling the HDD's.