One can classify potatoes according to colour and the purpose of use. For all purposes, potatoes fall into two easy categories: Baking potatoes and boiling potatoes. Basic six types of potatoes include: Yellow, red, russet, white, fingerling and blue potatoes.

Baking purpose potatoes differ from boiling purpose potatoes. Potatoes having low starch should be used for boiling as while boiling they will not fall apart. Potatoes for baking purposes should have high starch. When they are baked the texture is soft.

Here are few types of potatoes and their utilities:

• Yellow Potatoes: These potatoes have a dense, creamy texture. They haven golden coloured outlook and they appear as of they are buttered. They are great for roasting, baking, boiling and steaming.
• Red Potatoes: They are characterized by their rosy red skin, but can have white, yellow or even red flesh. Red potatoes have a firm, smooth and moist texture, making them well suited for salads, roasting, boiling and steaming.
• Russet Potatoes: These potatoes are high in starch and are characterized by netted brown skin and white flesh. Russets are light and fluffy when cooked, making them ideal for baking and mashing. They are also wonderful for frying and roasting.
• White Potatoes: They are of round and long types. Round whites are medium in starch level and have smooth, light tan skin with white flesh. These are creamy in texture and hold their shape well after cooking. Regarded an all-purpose potato, round whites are very versatile and can be used in most potato preparations. Long whites are oval-shaped, medium in starch level and have thin, light tan skin. These potatoes have a firm, creamy texture when cooked.
• Fingerlings Potatoes: These potatoes are small and finger-shaped. They have varieties that include yellow-skinned Russian Banana, the orange-skinned French and the Purple Peruvian. They are ideal for roosting and in preparation of salads.
• Blue and Purple Potatoes: These potatoes have subtle nutty flavour and flesh that ranges in hue from dark blue or lavender to white. Microwaving preserves the color the best, but steaming and baking are also favourable methods of preparation.

Some of the varieties of potatoes that you can find in supermarket are:

For Baking: Russet Burbank, Russet Arcadia, Norgold Russet, Goldrush, Norkotah, Long White (or White Rose or California Long White), and Idaho.

For Boiling: Round White, Round Red, Yellow Potato, Red Potato, Salad Potato, La Soda, Red La Rouge, Red Pontiac, Red Nordland, Red Bliss, Yellow Finnish, Ruby Crescent, and Australian Crescent.