What is an Electric Start Generator and are they Worth Buying?

Many people often overcomplicate electric start generators but they like many other generator factors are often much simpler than you might think. An electric start generator is a generator that doesn’t feature a pull cord.

You can power the generator simply by hitting a switch or in some cases turning a key and you’ll find it on all kinds of things including cars and other vehicles. When you do this it powers a small battery which then activates your generator, sees it is pretty simple, isn’t it? But do you actually need this extra feature or should you just stick with a simple pull cord instead?

Well, manufacturers definitely seem to think the electric start is a feature worth highlighting. You’ll see many generators, particularly portable models titling themselves as electric start generators, which had led to some confusion with people thinking they are a whole new kind of machine.

But while it is certainly a helpful feature to have do you really need to focus your search on electric start generators? In my honest opinion, you don’t really need to. The electric start is a “nice to have” feature but not a “must-have” one. I’ll explain why I think that in more detail below.

Electric start – Not necessarily a must-have feature

Pulling the power cord to power on a generator might seem a little old fashioned. After all, the power cord is not something you will usually see on many other appliances although you might see them or other similar cord-like pulleys on things like lawnmowers. However, it is not by any means going to be a common feature.

Now pull cords can take a bit of getting used to they aren’t as simple as just flicking a switch or turning a key. But once you have used it a few times it will be much easier to pull the cord correctly, with enough force, etc.

Basically, after a while, the vast majority of people will find using a pull cord simple and straightforward. Of course, turning a key or flicking a switch will be easier but the main issue with electric start generators is that the feature while useful isn’t worth the extra cost.

Many generators that offer an electric start-up will be more expensive than similar models that have a pull cord instead. So, in the vast majority of cases, you will be paying extra for the electric start and in my opinion, this extra cost just isn’t always worth it.

Of course, there are some possible exceptions to this as people with arthritis or joint pain might find pulling a pull cord difficult. In which case opting for an electric start switch or the key will be worth the extra costs involved.

Older people might struggle to pull a pull cord with enough force as well so the electric start might be an essential feature for some people. And if you want to spend more on a more feature-heavy or high-end generator then it is always a handy extra to have. But overall for the majority of people, I would say electric start is useful but not essential.