Supercapacitors have emerged as reliable replacements for DC energy storage devices in different applications. As well, they can replace electrolytic capacitors in low frequency power-line circuits. However, they suffer from a major drawback which is the very long charging time due to their ultra large capacitance ratings. When used in an AC-to-DC converter, this increases the startup time significantly. Here, we propose and validate a practical solution suitable for embedded system applications where a microcontroller is readily available. The circuit contains both supercapacitors and electrolytic capacitors, with the latter initially connected for smoothing during startup. The supercapacitor is then charged separately and switched into the circuit after reaching a voltage equal to or higher than the electrolytic capacitor's voltage. A 220 V/6 V AC-to-DC converter test bed utilizing two series 20 F supercapacitors and controlled by an ESP32 microcontroller was constructed to validate the proposed solution. Experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in startup times without compromising energy storage capabilities. Our approach effectively leverages the microcontroller to manage capacitor switching, optimizing system performance. This solution bridges the gap between supercapacitor benefits and startup time challenges.