A kitchen stove, often called simply a stove or a cooker, is a kitchen appliance designed for the purpose of cooking food. Kitchen stoves rely on the application of direct heat for the cooking process and may also contain an oven, used for baking. Cookstoves are heated by burning wood or charcoal; gas stoves are heated by gas; and electric stoves by electricity. A stove with a built-in cooktop is also called a range.