https://factorio.com/blog/post/fff-400 calls the map search "production search", and the Production view is organized by items. Most recipes have the output item as/in the name, so the map search is currently mostly usable as a "where is this item produced?" search, and I think that's how most people use it. However, a few recipes don't, and it's extremely counterintuitive that I need to search for "steam" on Vulcanus to find where I'm producing water, or "coal" to find where I'm producing heavy oil.
Creating this suggestion here after this was rejected as Not a Bug in viewtopic.php?p=638560#p638560
Map search for items, not [just] recipes
Moderator: ickputzdirwech
Re: Map search for items, not [just] recipes
agree
additionally, it was promised to search in boxes, but it is does not as of 2.0.42
additionally, it was promised to search in boxes, but it is does not as of 2.0.42
Re: Map search for items, not [just] recipes
Agree, it would be nice to finally find all these cars scattered over map. 
