Honestly, pedals and saddles are very personal choices. What works for the majority of others may not be best for you. While most people here are perfectly happy with platform pedals, I prefer the "connected" feeling of being clipped in, whether riding across town or across the country.

Fortunately, it's cheap to test a set of flat pedals to see if you like them. The pedals themselves are pretty cheap and there are no expensive shoes to buy. Just try them.