cooker

A cooker is an appliance used for cooking food. In common usage, it refers to the kitchen range or stove—a freestanding or built-in unit that combines a hob for heating with an oven for baking or roasting.

Hobs vary by energy source: gas burners, electric coils, or induction. Ovens can be conventional or convection (fan-assisted). There are also standalone appliances such as microwave ovens, rice cookers, pressure cookers, slow cookers, steamers, and other specialized devices. Cookers are typically made from stainless steel, enamel-coated steel, or cast iron, and may be powered by gas, electricity, or both (hybrid designs).

Safety and control features include automatic shutoff, flame supervision devices, child locks, timers, and soft-close doors. Regional terminology differs: in British English, cooker usually denotes the entire range; in American English, stove or range is more common. The development of cookers progressed from wood- and coal-fired stoves to gas and electric ranges in the 19th and 20th centuries, with modern models adding induction heating and smart controls.