Final answer:
Microwaving is the fastest method to bake potatoes, as it directly heats the water molecules within the potatoes, resulting in rapid cooking time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The quickest way to bake potatoes among the options provided is 1) Microwaving them. Microwaving can cook potatoes significantly more quickly than the conventional methods of boiling, grilling, or frying. To speed up even a microwave process, you could first pierce the potato skins with a fork to allow steam to escape and avoid overcooking or uneven cooking. While boiling is generally faster than grilling or frying, using a microwave surpasses it in terms of speed because the microwave's heat waves are directly absorbed by the food, causing water molecules to vibrate and generate heat rapidly, which cooks the potatoes quickly.