Yes, you can microwave, bake, or boil the potato. See the recipe or instructions pages for details.

No. Potatoes naturally stick together once cooked.

For the crispiest tots, use russet potatoes, let them cool before molding, and cook them in  375°F oil. The Tot Maker creates uniform shapes that cook evenly, helping every tot crisp perfectly. Remember, the dryer the potato (as when baked) the faster they brown and crisp up. Try different ways, you get different textures experiment away !!

Absolutely. Air fry at 400°F for 12–15 minutes until golden.

Any high-heat oils like canola, vegetable, peanut- beef tallow works great as well AND adds flavor!

YES ! We recommend adding salt and pepper to them and any spice you like- garlic powder, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning…anything you prefer !

Tots will only fall apart if potato too dry after cooking OR you did not pack into tot maker tight enough.

Absolutely. Hand-forming tots leads to uneven shapes that fall apart or cook inconsistently. The Tot Maker compresses the potato evenly and creates a consistent shape, which results in better texture and more professional-looking tots. Thats how tot maker was born- we were tired of hand forming LOL !!

The best tater tot recipe in our opinion uses microwaved/ then wrapped russet potatoes, cooled and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder. Press them into the Tot Maker for perfect shape, then fry at 375°F for 2-4 minutes until golden (watch them close). This method gives you crispy homemade tots without additives.

Yes ! Just know that the onions will brown faster but it adds a rich onion flavor !

YES ! Watch the videos, it is fast, easy, and kids can form them while you fry them !

You can get about 10 tater tots from one potato depending on potato size.

Tot Maker Tater Tot Hub

The ‘perfect’ texture is a personal preference. Some people like a fluffy soft interior with that golden crunchy exterior and some like their tots more crunchy and a more firm almost chunky interior (like frozen tots. The key is how you cook the potato. For a firmer/chunky/crispy feel, bake the potato. Baking also makes the tots richer, more intense in potato flavor. For a perfect golden crispy tot with a softer interior, microwave the potato 5 minutes, wrap in foil, and rest 40 minutes. We prefer this method as it makes tots easiest to form. Try both ways !

We feel the best is frying the tots in beef tallow as #1. The second best is a typical high smoking point oil. These methods result in the crispy golden texture people expect and all tots on site were cooked this way.

To inquire about retail purchasing please email us at totmaker1@gmail.com , and we will be happy to get you setup !