[Vocabulary] kitchen range

[thedaffodils]

A range or kitchen range is a large metal device for cooking food using gas or electricity. A range consists of a grill, an oven, and some gas or electric rings.

This is the defintion of kitchen range from my dictionary. I don't understand what it exactly means.

What does "gas or electric rings" refer to?

I looked up some picture via Bing search, but most of the pictures show some cooking device with furniture. The furniture is not included in the definition of the range, right?

http://cn.bing.com/images/search?q=kitchen+range+.+&FORM=HDRSC2

Thank you!

 

[Raymott]

These are gas rings:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=gas+rings&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=gas+rings&sc=0-5&sp=-1&sk=
Electric rings are similar. They usually come in fours, called "cooktops" here:
http://www.bunnings.com.au/everdure-60cm-4-burner-electric-cooktop_p5102045
These are ranges. No, the other furniture isn't included. A range usually has a cooktop and an oven, and a grill under the cooktop:
http://www.lg.com/us/ranges-ovens

 

[thedaffodils]

Thank you!

Do most the households in Western countries or Australia have a kitchen range?

 

[Raymott]

Yes, they do; in fact I'd say that almost all do.
(Australia is generally considered a Western country, even though geographically it's obviously Eastern.)

 

[thedaffodils]

Thank you again.

I do consider Australia is a Western country. I was not sure if you knew that in other countries, so I singled it out.

 

[SoothingDave]

Thank you!

Do most the households in Western countries or Australia have a kitchen range?

Yes. Though the manufacturers call them "ranges," most people in my experience refer to them as the "stove" or the "oven."

And, in the US we would not call them "rings, but "burners." I had to replace the electric burner on my stove recently.