Stop treating a baked potato like it’s a slow-cooked brisket that requires a 2-hour commitment. The “purist” method of letting a russet shrivel up in an oven for 60 minutes is an absolute waste of your evening. If you want that steakhouse-level contrast — a center that’s actually fluffy and skin that shatters like a cracker — you have to stop being a martyr for tradition and start hacking the hardware sitting on your counter.

The math is simple: A microwave is the undisputed king of speed, but it turns the skin into a sad, damp rag. Meanwhile, an air fryer creates an elite, salty crust but takes forever to reach the core of a dense potato. By using the “hybrid” method — nuking the spud for a few minutes to get the inside tender, then finishing it with a high-heat blast in the air fryer — you’re effectively cheating the clock.

You’re looking at a 12-minute total turnaround for a potato that tastes like it’s been roasting since lunch. It’s the ultimate weeknight power move that delivers maximum texture with zero unnecessary waiting. Stop being a slave to your oven timer and start using the tech you already own to get dinner on the table before you actually lose interest in eating it.

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My 12-minute baked potato recipe

What you need

• One russet potato
• 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter
• A microwave
• An air fryer
• Kosher salt for serving

Directions

• Step 1: Poke 10 to 12 air holes in the potato using a fork and salt liberally.
• Step 2: Microwave the potato on high for 8 to 10 minutes or until it’s fork-tender and cooked through.
• Step 3: Slice the potato halfway through and toss with melted butter or olive oil. You can also stuff the potato with cheese or bacon bits.
• Step 4: Air fry on high, skin side up, for 2 minutes.
• Step 5: Flip and cook for another two minutes until desired crispiness is achieved. (If topping with cheese, veggies or bacon, cook skin side down only.)

For more tips, see my list of the seven foods I’ll only air fry from now on, and learn the best way to reheat every kind of leftovers.