Registering for wedding gifts and are debating between All clad vs Williams Sonoma thermoclad. Williams Sonoma is like 30% cheaper. Does anyone recommend one vs the other for everyday cooks? Or any others we should look at.

Wusthof knives vs Shun Japanese style knives. We really liked the Shun knives so are leaning towards that.

We cook probably 80% of the time so whatever we register for will get used quite a bit.

On both, don't register for a set. Register for individual pieces and get what you really like.

As to knives specifically, go to whatever store at which you are registered and actually handle the knives. Pick ones that feel good in your (and fiance's) hand...

Yeah, we aren't registering for complete sets, we've broken them up.

If I could go back I would register for individual knives instead of a set. Get a heavy wustof chef, some shun premier and shun kanso because they look cool. Add in a global, good steak set, granton carver, petty, boning, flexible fillet.

Pans might be the same, we have been curating what we use the most, SS fry pans, small non stick, enameled stock and braisers, cast iron skillets, SS and non stick sauce pots.

Oh, and we settled on Global as my knife of choice. Just really liked the feel and reputation among professional chefs.

I have one all clad pot and it is awesome. That's what I'd get if I were starting over.

We use Mac knives (and two custom chef's knives). I think Mac feels great in my hand, are very well made, and aren't too pricey.

We now use all clad for pots and pans. We had some Sur la Table brand items for a long time but replaced them at Christmas. So far so good.

Register for some non stick pans. For some reason, people love buying them for wedding registries. Exchange them for gift cards, and put it toward a good chef's knife or an All-Clad saute pan. Then go to a restaurant supply store and buy some cheap non-stock pans.

Is ceramic a fad or something worth considering?

If it is on a heavier pan, ceramic may be worth it. The problem is most ceramic cookware is marketed to be cheap, and the metal is too thin, so they don't heat evenly and have hot spots. The heavier aluminum Teflon pans from a restaurant supply store like Ace Mart perform better, but don't last much longer. So you are better off just getting a decent aluminum Teflon pan from a restaurant supply shop and replacing them when they stop being non-stick.

We have the WS. Never owned an All-Clad piece but the WS has performed well over the last 3 years.My best friend gave us Warther knives as a wedding gift. 25 years later they are still going strong. Made in USA!

https://warthercutlery.com/