Baked Potato Cooking Time Calculator
Weigh one potato and choose your method for the cooking time and temperature.
A medium baking potato is around 250g. Weigh one if you can. It is the difference between an hour and an hour and a half.
Answer
62–75 minutes at 200°C
What to do
- 1Heat the oven to 200°C.
- 2Prick the skin, rub with a little oil and salt, and bake directly on the shelf so the skin crisps.
- 3Cook for 62 to 75 minutes.
- 4It is done when a skewer slides all the way through with no resistance and the skin has gone papery. Squeeze it gently, a done potato gives.
Getting the skin right
- Rub the skin with oil and salt. That is what makes it crisp rather than leathery.
- Do not wrap it in foil unless you want a soft skin, foil steams the potato instead of baking it.
- Prick it with a fork so steam can escape.
Next step
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking temperatures and times (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
Reference and detail
Which potatoes to use
Floury varieties bake best: Maris Piper, King Edward or anything sold as a baking potato. Waxy salad potatoes never go fluffy inside, no matter how long you give them.
Oven, air fryer or microwave
The oven gives the most even result. An air fryer gives the crispest skin and takes about a third less time. A microwave is quickest by far but the skin stays soft, if you are in a hurry, microwave it for eight to ten minutes and then give it 15 minutes in a hot oven to finish the skin.
Skip the foil
Foil traps steam, so the skin ends up soft and pale. Bake the potato naked on the shelf, rubbed with oil and salt, and put a tray underneath if you are worried about drips.
Questions and answers
Questions about baking a jacket potato
Do I need to prick a jacket potato before baking?
A few pricks with a fork let steam escape and reduce the small risk of the skin splitting, but it is not essential if you are watching the oven. Do not wrap it in foil, since that traps steam and softens the skin you are trying to crisp.
Can I bake a jacket potato in the microwave to save time?
Yes, though the skin stays soft rather than crisp on its own. Microwave it for a few minutes to cook it through, then finish it in a hot oven for around 15 minutes for a crisp skin.
Does the size of the potato change how I cook it, not just the time?
No, the method stays the same whatever the size, only the time changes. Weigh the potato above and choose your method for the right time and temperature.
Can I bake more than one jacket potato at once?
Yes, as long as they are similar in size and have space around them on the shelf so hot air can circulate. Several potatoes together do not need longer than one of the same size.
Safety guidance reviewed against Food Standards Agency sources on 11 September 2026. How we calculate cooking times and safety guidance.