If you have an air fryer and a microwave, you're on your way to a delicious baked potato. Arielle Burton/CNET

A good baked potato is one of those deceptively simple comfort foods -- crispy skin, fluffy interior and just begging to be smothered in toppings. But who has the patience to wait an hour for one to roast in the oven, especially when it's already 85 degrees outside and you'd rather not turn on the heat? If you're looking to skip the wait without sacrificing that steakhouse-style perfection, there's a faster way -- and all you need is an air fryer.

This two-step trick cuts your cooking time way down without cutting corners on texture. You still get the golden, crackly exterior and soft center, but in a fraction of the time. No need to fire up the grill or preheat the oven for 40 minutes. If you love baked potatoes but hate the wait, this is the shortcut that'll change your cookout game all summer long.

With a microwave to speedily cook the inside and a powerful air fryer to crisp the skin, you'll wonder why anyone makes baked potatoes the old-fashioned way.

Best Air Fryers We Tested: See at Cnet

My 12-Minute Baked Potato Recipe

What you need

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

Directions

Step 1: Poke 10-12 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.

20 Best Kitchen Gifts Under $30

There are thousands of kitchen tools, special ingredients and sharp pieces to buy a lover of cooking and many of them won't break the bank. Put down the pricey appliance and find something small but soulful like an olive cruet or cast-iron skillet.We've rounded up 19 great kitchen gifts under $30. A mix of must-have gadgets and cooking classics, these tools never go out of style and will enhance your next happy hour or dinner party.

The Stanley cup is so last season. The classic camp mug is better for hot beverages and goes seamlessly from around the house to your next wilderness adventure.

This is many a pro chef's favorite kitchen tool, great for zesting citrus and a quick grate of parmesan.

If you're living in a home without a cast-iron skillet, it's time to change that. Cast iron is durable, gets screaming hot and sears meat better than any other material. Plus, it's cheap and lasts forever. This $27 Lodge pan is a truly iconic piece of cookware and an excellent buy any time of the year.

This luscious $30 wooden board is space-saving and stylish.

Kitchen shears are my pick for most underrated and underused kitchen tool. This pair of Henckel's shears is a steal at $15.

Olive oil and vinegar look as harmonious as they taste with this clever duet of a cruet.

These lowball whisky glasses are both moder and classic and will level up that next happy hour.

A miniature version of Le Creuset's iconic cookware for just $22. Use it for sauces, dips, individual soups or simply to charm the pants off of anyone who sees it.

All chefs need a good slicing knife and you don't need to spend a fortune to get one. This Victoronix will serve you well, just as long as it stays sharp.

A pestle and mortar is not only useful for crushing herbs, spices and alliums like garlic and onion, it also presents a charming vessel in which to serve sauces and dips for dinner party guests.

If there's a giftee on your list with knives jangling about in the drawer, save their fingers, space and fine blades with this $30 wooden knife holder.

Zeroll is the first and last name in ice cream scooping. They're crafted with no weak points that could bend or break, and the handle is filled with heat-conductive liquid that warms the scoop to get out even the most frozen chocolate or vanilla.

I use my rice cooker almost every day. This Aroma Housewares model works well for basic white and brown rice and costs less than a night of takeout.

This $30 grilling tool is three tools in one. It functions as a sturdy spatula, tongs and grill scraper and it's built to withstand long summers of abuse.

The Fluicer is a serious upgrade over clamshell juicers. This clever bend-and-squeeze juice gets about twice the amount of juice with half the effort.

This cutting board is as beautiful as it is functional. It's just $30 and makes a perfect addition to your stack of blocks.

This simple device uses multiple chambers to cool warm and room-temperature beverages quickly without watering them down. Make iced coffee from hot in under a minute or bring warm white wine to chill in seconds with this handy device.