What are items you can ask for with the bridal registry?

Couples usually only have 1 registry that can be used for either the shower or wedding. Also, I have never heard that the shower registry is for the bride. It's more so that the bride traditionally cares more about the pots, pans, and glassware than the groom. The main purpose of the registry is to purchase all those things you listed: cookware, serveware, kitchen gadgets, bedding sets, etc. The registry is a good way to get higher end, better quality stuff than what you may be able to afford when you're buying everything for a home.

I’ve never heard of the shower being for gifts specifically for the bride. We lived together pre-marriage, but had both lived on our own for a while so hard old, tired sets of things (three bowls his pattern, two bowls mine , kind of thing). So we chose things we liked together for a
registry. Most of this stuff I received at “my” bridal shower, but everything received was meant for both of us. To create our registry, we basically created a shopping list for ourselves in the future ...that was public so if anyone chose to gift us these things along the way, so be it— how exciting for us!

Our registry consists of towels, kitchen things, sheets, wall art, board games and puzzles.
We haven't lived together, but will before the ceremony. We may have to purchase some of these things to get by til the shower.

Our registry was for our home. I think that is a better way to look at it. Not bride vs. groom.

Your registry should be items for both of you, not one or the other. I’ve never heard that a bridal
shower should be items for the bride. Of course you can buy towels and dishes, but if you need them and you need items for your registry....isn’t the logical answer to put those items on the registry?

We just did our registry and are still struggling to find things to add as we have lived together for over a year at this point and we live in his grandmother’s old house as she has since passed and it was left to family. Due to this we have plenty of kitchenware and things that we did not need more of. When we registered we put things that we could use new versions of like knives and organizational things. We also put some bedding and our unconventional item was an outdoor movie screen and projector as we love movies. We also added some things we may use for the wedding like a personalized cake knife, guest book, and a cake topper once we agree on one.

I've always bought gifts off the wedding registry for showers, and typically things like bread maker, mixer, etc. so they benefit both bride & groom. For closer friends I usually throw in something like a bride shirt or pajama set.

FH and I both have most of the household items we need, too. We're asking for items we'd not necessarily buy for ourselves but would like to have. Some are "upgraded" versions of items we already have.

Some examples

-Espresso machine (a million years ago as a teen I worked at Starbucks and I'd love to be able to make the drinks at home)

-Better quality vaccuum (we have a vaccuum, but there are much more powerful/effective ones on the market)

-Water boiler (a device that automatically dispenses water at the correct temperature and stores hot water all day -- so if we want tea, hot chocolate, some hot water for oatmeal, etc we can have hot water instantly without waiting to boil water)

-A touchless, automatic trash can (so we can throw out trash without having to touch the trash can)

-Aroma diffuser (makes rooms smell slightly nicer without the effort/risk of lighting a candle)

-Rice dispenser (we eat a loooot of rice, and usually we just scoop it out of the bag, but this dispenser automatically dispenses the correct amount)

I hope the above can give you some ideas, but really just go about your days for a week or so and think about the little things that stick out to you as being slightly inconvenient or "ooh I wish I could just use one of THOSE". It shouldn't be hard to find some special items you don't have yet, even if your house is already mostly outfitted with your standard stuff

Just remember to find items in different price ranges to accommodate for your range of guests.