A soft starter is an additional device that can be added to a typical AC electric motor that will allow the motor to use a different startup method. The purpose of this device is to reduce the strain put on the motor during the typical power-up phase of a motor. To accomplish this, a soft starter will slowly and gradually begin applying increasing voltages to the motor. This allows for a smooth acceleration of power instead of a sudden and violent burst of power that could potentially cause damage to the motor and the machine as a whole.