I use a starter for my four strokes but have no problem "hand" starting my OS .46 2 strokes. Just a quick flick on the spinner in the opposite direction and it takes off without hesitation.

I've been trying to start the four stroke with a chicken stick but haven't yet got the knack of it.

If you can afford an electric starter, go for it. If you are a bit tight on funds, I don't consider it essential.

Where we fly we have a staging area to start our planes and then we taxi a reasonable distance to the runway. At the runway there are restraints for starting if your engine dies while taxiing, but it is a pain to have to go back to the staging area for your starter so having the ability to flip / chicken stick / hand start does have it's advantages. Even if you don't do it that way often.