h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Perhaps it's my microwave but I think jacket potatoes done in the microwave are awful, you can't beat baking in the oven. I like Delia Smith's suggestion, to brush the skins with oil & sprinkle with salt, then place directly on the oven shelf (not forgetting to stab the spud liberally).

My favourite topping is coleslaw & preferably an assortment of side salads.

No, microwave potatoes are rubbish. They are quick though, so what I normally do is put the spuds in the microwave to cook, then put the oven on hot. Once the spuds ar cooked, brush with oil and sprinkle on salt, then pop in the oven to crisp up the skins, turning them occasionally. They end up as nice as fully ovened, but in a lot less time.

Bez

I have tried putting microwave jacket spuds under the grill to brown, which also makes them bearable.

Another sneaky trick to improve the palatability of microwaved potatoes is to remove them when just tender, and immediately wrap them in heavy duty aluminum foil. Let them sit for ten minutes or so, unwrap, and enjoy. This steaming makes them delightfully flaky and delicious. I spose you could toast the skin then as well, but I prefer to make baked or fried potato skins with the peel.

The more you do (and therefore the longer it takes to do them), the better the results seem to be.
Nuking a single medium spud on full 800W is a good way of turning the skin to leather.

Oh no! What you've just describe is just what I recommended! I never knew I was doing it the Delia method! How horrific!

But another vote in the 'baked potatoes in the microwave: yuck!' camp...