For classic, fluffy baked potatoes with crisp skin, set your oven to about 400°F (204°C) and bake until the centers reach roughly 205–210°F internally, usually 45–60 minutes for medium russets.

Quick Scoop

  • Best oven temperature: 400°F (204°C) for most standard russet potatoes.
  • Internal doneness temp: about 205–210°F (96–99°C) in the thickest part of the potato.
  • Typical timing: 45–60 minutes at 400°F for medium potatoes; smaller cook a bit faster, larger can take up to 75+ minutes.
  • Lower temps (350–375°F): work, but take longer and can give denser insides and less crisp skin.
  • Hotter ovens (425–450°F): give extra‑crispy skins but increase the risk of the outside overbrowning before the center is perfect.

Simple method

  1. Heat oven to 400°F (204°C).
  1. Scrub potatoes, dry well, poke a few holes with a fork.
  2. Rub lightly with oil and salt if you like crisp, seasoned skin.
  3. Bake on the rack (with a tray underneath) until a fork slides in easily or an instant‑read thermometer in the center reads about 205–210°F.
  1. Rest a few minutes, then split and fluff with a fork before adding toppings.

Tiny bonus tip

  • Skip wrapping in foil if you want a true baked texture—foil traps steam and makes the skin soft and more “boiled” than baked.

TL;DR: Use 400°F, aim for about 205–210°F inside, and adjust time by potato size.