You’ll get the best classic baked potato by roasting at high heat until the center is soft and fluffy, which is usually 45–60 minutes for a medium russet at 400–425°F.

Quick Scoop: Basic Timing

  • For a medium russet potato at 400–425°F, plan on 45–60 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork or knife.
  • Smaller potatoes can be done in about 30–40 minutes , while very large ones may need up to 75–90 minutes.
  • Many cooks aim for an internal temperature of about 200–210°F in the center for the fluffiest texture.

Simple step-by-step

  1. Heat oven to 400–425°F (200–220°C).
  1. Scrub russet potatoes, dry well, poke several holes with a fork.
  1. Rub with a thin coat of oil and sprinkle with salt for crisp skin.
  1. Bake on a rack or tray 45–60 minutes , turning once, until a fork slides in easily.

Think of “done” as when the knife slides in like butter and the skin feels crisp but the potato gives slightly when squeezed with an oven mitt.

Oven temp Potato size Approx. time
400°F / 200°C Medium russet 50–60 min
425°F / 220°C Medium russet 45–60 min
400–425°F Small russet 30–40 min
400–425°F Large russet 60–75+ min

Little story-style tip

Imagine you’ve got your potatoes in with something else—say chicken at 400°F. You can tuck a few scrubbed, oiled, salted russets on the rack beside it, and by the time your chicken is done or close, your potatoes will usually be in that 45–60 minute sweet spot. You just need to give one a quick squeeze with an oven mitt or poke with a fork to decide if dinner is ready.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.