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Potato Timer
Tap the size of your potatoes and press Start when the water comes to a boil. Test with a knife when the alarm sounds.
12 minutes
Spacestart / pauseRresetFfull screen+ −add or remove a minute0–9type a time
Usually 10–15 minutes from the boil. The cut to use for mash and potato salad.
Usually 15–20 minutes from the boil. Leave the skins on and pick ones of similar size.
Usually 20–25 minutes from the boil. Test the biggest potato in the pot.
Usually 25–30 minutes or more. Halve them to cook faster and more evenly.
How long to boil potatoes, by size
| Potatoes | Timer | Usual range | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes | 12 min | 10–15 min | Mash, potato salad, soups |
| Baby or new potatoes, whole | 15 min | 15–20 min | Salads, buttered potatoes |
| Medium potatoes, whole | 20 min | 20–25 min | Boiled potatoes, parboiling |
| Large potatoes, whole | 30 min | 25–30 min or more | Skin-on mash, slicing cold |
| Baked in the oven (not a chip above) | Set 45 min | 45–60 min at 400°F (200°C) | Baked potatoes |
Boiling times start when the water reaches a boil, with the potatoes put into cold salted water first. Variety, age and how hard the pot simmers move them by a few minutes, so the knife test decides.
How to use it
- Cut the potatoes into even pieces, or choose whole ones of similar size, so they finish together.
- Put them in a pot, cover with cold water by about an inch (2–3 cm) and salt it. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a steady simmer.
- Tap the size that matches your potatoes and press Start once the water is boiling.
- When the alarm sounds, push a thin knife into the biggest piece. If it slides in with no resistance, drain the pot. If you feel a firm core, tap +1:00 and test again.
Why boiled potatoes start in cold water
A potato is dense and heat moves through it slowly. Dropped into water that is already boiling, the outside is cooked and starting to crumble while the center is still hard. Starting in cold water warms the whole potato along with the pot, so the outside and the middle reach tenderness much closer together. The salt goes in at the start for a similar reason: potatoes take in water as they cook, and salt added at the table only seasons the surface.
The time depends on the distance from the surface to the center. A 1-inch cube is done in 10 to 15 minutes, a whole baby potato in 15 to 20, and a large whole potato can pass 30. That is why even cutting matters more than the exact minute: a pot of mixed sizes gives you some pieces falling apart and others still firm.
Waxy or floury: which potato for which job
Waxy potatoes such as red potatoes, new potatoes and fingerlings are lower in starch and keep their shape when boiled. Use them for potato salad and for serving whole. Floury, or starchy, potatoes such as russets, Maris Piper and King Edward break down into a dry, fluffy texture, which is what mash needs. They can fall apart in the pot, so start testing early. All-purpose types such as Yukon Gold sit in between and do both jobs.
For mashed potatoes, cook the pieces until a knife meets no resistance at all, drain them, and put them back in the hot pan for a minute to steam dry. Water left on the potatoes makes the mash loose and stops it taking up butter and milk.
Common mistakes
- Boiling mixed sizes together. The small pieces turn to mush before the large ones are cooked through.
- Keeping the pot at a hard rolling boil. The potatoes knock against each other and the outsides break up. A steady simmer cooks them as fast.
- Leaving cooked potatoes in the water. They keep absorbing it and turn waterlogged, so drain them as soon as they pass the knife test.
- Stopping too soon for mash. A potato that is only nearly tender leaves lumps that no amount of mashing removes.
- Skipping the salt in the water. Potatoes seasoned only at the end taste flat inside.
Questions people ask
How long do you boil potatoes for mashed potatoes?
About 10 to 15 minutes from the boil for 1-inch cubes, or 20 to 25 minutes for medium potatoes left whole. They are ready when a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain them and let them steam dry for a minute before mashing.
How long do baby potatoes take to boil?
Whole baby or new potatoes take 15 to 20 minutes from the boil, depending on size. Start testing at 15 minutes with the tip of a knife.
How do I know when boiled potatoes are done?
A thin knife or skewer goes into the center of the largest piece with no resistance and slides out again easily. If the potato grips the blade or lifts out of the water with it, give it another minute or two.
Should I peel potatoes before or after boiling?
Either works. Peeled and cubed potatoes cook fastest and are ready to mash. Potatoes boiled in their skins take in less water and hold together better, which suits salads; the skins slip off more easily once they have cooled a little.
How long does a baked potato take in the oven?
About 45 to 60 minutes at 400°F (200°C) for a medium to large baking potato, until a knife goes through the middle easily. That is an oven time, so set it with the steppers; the chips on this page are for boiling.