How to Bake a Potato in the Oven, Air Fryer, and More

Everyone loves a baked spud!

If you're wondering how to bake a potato, you've come to the right place. Of course, the most popular way to bake a potato is in the oven, but did you know you can also use the air fryer, microwave, or even a slow cooker to get a perfectly-cooked buttery spud? Plus, there are distinct benefits for each method: Using the microwave to bake a potato is your quickest option if you need a spud on the go. However, baking your potato in the air fryer will give you the crispiest exterior. Read on to learn how to bake a potato using six different methods, so no matter what your kitchen looks like, you can always have a spud cooking.

How to Bake a Potato in the Oven

Baking a potato in the oven is the most traditional way to bake a potato. It's efficient if you’re trying to yield a large batch of potatoes or make the most of a preheated oven. Baked potatoes in the oven result in a creamy center with a crisp exterior—a crunchy jacket to hold the delicious mountain of toppings.

What You'll Need

• Potatoes (medium to large)

• Fork or knife

• Baking sheet

• Aluminum foil

• Olive oil

• Salt and pepper (optional)

• Tongs (optional)
  

Instructions

1. Start by preheating your oven to 425°F. Wash all the dirt off the potato of your choice.

2. Dry and poke holes in the potato all over using a sharp fork or knife. Some people prefer to boil or microwave their potatoes at this stage to quicken the baking process and help achieve a crispier exterior, but the extra work is optional.
   

3. Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Rub on a bit of olive oil, plus salt and pepper, if desired, on the exterior of the potato before putting it in the oven.

4. Cook for half an hour, flip with tongs or a fork, and cook for another 30 minutes.

5. Take the spuds out of the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before slicing into it. Enjoy!
   

How to Bake a Potato in the Microwave

Don’t want to heat your entire oven to cook a single potato? We don’t blame you. Cooking a baked potato in the microwave is easy, quick, and just as satisfying. Just remember to never heat aluminum foil in the appliance. Here's how to bake a potato in the microwave:

What You'll Need

• Potatoes (medium to large)

• Fork or knife

• Tongs (optional)
  

Instructions

1. Start by washing your potato and poking it with a fork or knife all over.

2. Put your poked potato in the microwave and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Using tongs or a fork, rotate your potato to the other side and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Depending on the size of your potato and the wattage of your microwave, the baked potato may need additional time—add in 1-minute increments. Once a fork can poke into the middle, your potato is ready!

How to Bake a Potato in the Toaster Oven

While your typical toaster isn’t going to accommodate a baked potato, a toaster oven is the perfect appliance for baking a single potato or two, or a bunch of smaller potatoes. 

What You'll Need

• Toaster oven

• Potatoes (medium to large)

• Fork or knife

• Olive oil

• Tongs (optional)

Instructions

1. Start by preheating your toaster oven to 400°F to 450°F, depending on how hot it will get.

2. Clean the potato and poke holes in it with a fork or knife. If you want to speed up the baking process, microwave for 2 to 3 minutes first.

3. Rub a light layer of olive oil around your potato.

4. Put it on the toaster oven rack to cook for 30 minutes. Feel free to flip the potato with tongs or a fork after 15 minutes, however, you can also set and forget it.

How to Bake a Potato in the Air Fryer

Ah, the appliance that makes everything better, even baked potatoes. Make as many baked potatoes as you can fit in your air fryer without overlapping, and enjoy a crisp skin that tastes almost like a chip.

What You'll Need

• Air Fryer

• Potatoes (medium to large)

• Fork or knife

• Olive oil

• Salt

Instructions

1. Clean your potatoes and poke them with a knife or fork all over.

2. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

3. Set potatoes in the air fryer basket at 400°F and cook for 35 minutes, until the potatoes are easy to cut through.

4. Once baked, you can also scoop out the insides of the potato and return the skins, coated in olive oil, to the air fryer at 400°F for 8 minutes. This results in a crispy chip, perfect for topping loaded potato soup or snacking on.

How to Bake a Potato in the Instant Pot

While all baked potatoes can be prepped and even baked in advance, the Instant Pot adds the special advantage of a set-it-and-forget-it method that cooks a batch of up to five baked potatoes in one go.

What You'll Need

• Instant Pot

• Potatoes (medium to large)

• Fork or knife

Instructions

1. Thoroughly wash your potatoes, then poke them all over with a knife or fork.

2. Add a cup of tap water to the bottom of the Instant Pot.

3. Set potatoes on the rack inside the pot.

4. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes or a few minutes longer for larger potatoes.

How to Bake a Potato in the Slow Cooker

If you want to come home to freshly baked potatoes, use a slow cooker. This is also a great way to keep baked potatoes warm for families with various schedules or at a party with a toppings bar.

What You'll Need

• Slow Cooker

• Potatoes (medium to large)

• Fork or knife

• Olive oil

• Aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Wash the potatoes. Then, poke potatoes all over with a fork or sharp knife.

2. Rub a bit of olive oil on each potato and wrap in foil.

3. Add the potatoes to the slow cooker and cover.

4. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours. Unwrap and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of potato is best for baking?

The best types of potatoes for baking are ones that are high in starch and low in moisture, which results in the potato having a smooth interior and crispy exterior. Russet or Idaho potatoes are ideal baking spuds for this reason.

Should baked potatoes be wrapped in foil?

Wrapping potatoes in foil before baking them will cause the spud's exterior to become soft and even soggy since the foil helps hold moisture. For a crispier exterior, bake potatoes without foil.

Do I need to poke holes in the potato before baking?

Yes, poking holes in your potatoes before baking them is essential to letting steam escape and avoiding a spud explosion.

Related: The Best Types of Potatoes to Use for Your Favorite Recipes

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