"When it comes to making the best baked potato, which of the latter two appliances is better? Tasting Table asked Chef Kieron Hales, Managing Partner & Head Chef at Zingerman's Cornman Farms. "If you're short on time, both the air fryer and microwave can absolutely step in for the oven," Hales said. "It just depends on what you value more: texture or speed.""
"Microwaves are prized for speed. "Very fast - five to eight minutes per potato. Great for weeknight meals," the chef explained. The interior will be soft and the potato ready in minutes, a great advantage over traditional oven baking. Air fryers, by contrast, are valued for their texture. "You'll get that beautiful, crisp skin and a fluffy interior that rivals an oven-baked potato in about half the time," Hales says. Longer than a microwave, for sure, but a more classic taste and feel."
"Cooking tips for both microwave and air fryer potatoes Tanja Esser/Shutterstock If texture is your main aim, Kieron Hales has some air fryer tips. "Rub your potato with olive oil and sea salt," he suggests. "Pierce it with a fork, and cook at 400°F for about 35-40 minutes, turning once." Wait until the skin has a dry, hollow sound when you tap it. That's how you know it's done."
Baked potatoes evolved from Victorian street vendors cooking in portable charcoal cans to modern ovens, with microwaves and air fryers offering faster alternatives. Microwaves cook potatoes in about five to eight minutes, producing a soft interior suited to quick meals. Air fryers deliver crisp skin and a fluffy interior similar to oven baking in roughly half the oven time, around 35–40 minutes at 400°F. Preparation tips include rubbing potatoes with olive oil and sea salt, piercing with a fork, and turning once. Cook until the skin sounds dry and hollow. High-starch potatoes such as russets yield a fluffier interior.
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