UV users - recommendations re wiper or no-wiper

[Delphinus]

As some of you may know I think I am battling a pathogen of some kind in my system and thus I'm now at the point I'm considering the purchase of a UV sterilizer to continue the pursuit of resolving this issue.

The only thing I know about what to look for in a UV sterilizer is that I've heard "you should get one with a wiper".

I can understand that keeping the unit clean will keep it most effective, so I can thus understand the reasoning for that recommendation.

The problem is the finding of said UV-sterilizer-with-a-wiper. It basically comes down to, if this is an important requirement, it's a different cost category AND it has to be mail-ordered from a US vendor - all the major players north of the border - at least all the ones I deal with - offer UV units without a wiper.

So how important would you say this feature is? Is it worth the hassle of finding one with the wiper or could one just go ahead and live without it?