when I got my machine, i used the start/stop button exclusively for about 2 years. loved it. but then decided that it really didn't work well for curves and even half square triangles. so I hooked up the foot pedal for a particular project, and now find it annoying to disconnect or reconnect the foot pedal, so now i use the foot pedal exclusively. the only inconvenience with the foot pedal is with winding bobbins. I loved the start/stop for bobbins, but I cannot use the start/stop when my foot pedal is connected. so alas, the pedal use continues.