Taylor Crown Series Grill Comparison: L810, L811, L812, L858

You've done the research. You know a two-sided clamshell grill is what your kitchen needs. Now you just need to figure out which Taylor commercial grill makes the most sense for your operation. Here's a straightforward breakdown to help you get there.

What Is the Taylor Crown Series Versus the Legacy Grills?

The Crown Series is Taylor's newest lineup of commercial grills, built for kitchens that need to move fast and stay consistent. Every model cooks from both the top and bottom at the same time, which cuts cook times compared to a traditional flat top and takes a lot of the manual oversight off your crew's plate. But the Crown Series line up features compression cooking and separate cook plates to ensure the perfect product pressure with every run, and no flavor crossover.

Taylor’s legacy clamshell line up also features top and bottom cooking, but with a single cook plate. These grills can cook products up to 1” thick, whereas the Crown Series line up can cook up to 2” thick. 

What ties the series together is the programmable controls. You set the time, temperature, and gap settings for each product once, and the grill handles the rest every cook cycle after that. For operators running multiple locations, that kind of consistency is hard to put a price on.

For a broader look at what makes two-sided grills worth the switch, check out the top features of two-sided grills before you dig into the model comparison.

Crown Series Models at a Glance: L810, L811, L812, and L858

All four models share the same foundation: floor-model installation, programmable microprocessor controls, electric upper platens, external USB ports for menu updates, and automatic platen opening if power cuts out. Here is where they split.

L810: Fully electric. Three upper platens, three cooking zones, 36" cooking surface. Automatic gapping up to 1". Weighs 870 lbs.

L811: Gas lower surface, electric upper platens. Three platens, three cooking zones. Same controls and footprint as the L810, but built for kitchens running on gas. 

L812: Fully electric. Two upper platens across three zones on a 36" surface. The third zone is an open flat cooking area with four independently timed sections. Weighs 773 lbs.

L858: The flagship. Fully electric. Three upper platens with true parallel auto-leveling, independent platen cooking plates, and a cooking gap up to 2.0". Cook surface of 31.5" (41" total width). IoT compatible. Weighs 890 lbs.

L810 vs. L811: Electric or Gas?

These two grills are essentially the same machine with different heat sources on the lower cooking surface. Same three-platen layout, same controls, same automatic gapping up to 1". The only real decision is what your kitchen runs on.

Gas (L811) tends to recover heat faster and can cost less to operate in areas where gas rates are lower. Electric (L810) gives you tighter temperature control and is the more practical fit for kitchens without gas lines or in markets moving toward all-electric setups.

Both include standby alerts to cut energy use during slow periods and four flat timers for independently timed cooking sections. Not sure which power setup fits your kitchen? The grill selector tool is a good place to start.

L812: When You Need More Than One Cooking Format

The L812 is the right pick when your menu doesn't fit cleanly into a clamshell-only setup. Two of the three zones have upper platens for full two-sided cooking. The third zone is an open flat surface, divided into four separately timed sections by the built-in flat timers.

If you're running burgers or proteins on the clamshell side and need a flat surface for eggs, bread, or other items that don't need top-down contact, the L812 handles both without adding another piece of equipment to your line. Same 36" footprint as the L810, about 100 lbs lighter at 773 lbs, and the same automatic gapping up to 1" on the clamshell zones.

As a commercial electric grill that covers two cooking formats in one unit, it's worth a close look if your menu runs a mixed lineup.

L858: Built for Precision at Scale

The Crown Series L858 is for operations where product consistency isn't optional. It's the most capable model in the grill lineups and has a few features the legacy models don't.

The biggest one is true parallel auto-leveling. With every run, the lower plate automatically adjusts so it's perfectly parallel to the upper platen. That means the pressure and gap is accurate every single time, not just “close enough." For chains with strict product specs across dozens of locations, that matters.

The L858 also gives you fully independent platen cooking zones. Each zone runs separately, so you can cook different products at different temperatures side by side with no flavor or food transfer between them. You can also shut down individual zones during slow periods to save energy and clean one zone at a time without taking the whole grill offline.

The 2.0" maximum cook gap means you can run thicker proteins and specialty items in two-sided mode that other models can't accommodate. And it's IoT compatible through the Open Kitchen platform if you're running a connected kitchen setup.

At 890 lbs with a 31.5" cook surface and 41" total width, it's the largest model in the series. Installation needs to go through an authorized Taylor distributor to protect your warranty coverage.

Key Specs Side by Side

Every clamshell grill also comes with side-to-side release material on the upper platens, external side grease collection, and automatic platen opening on power loss.

Why Programmable Controls Matter for Multi-Unit Operators

One-touch menu selection is one of those features that sounds simple but makes a real difference on the line. The crew doesn't need to adjust settings between products or remember cook parameters. They put the product down, press a button, and the grill does exactly what it's supposed to.

For chains, that means consistent results across every location. Menu updates and spec changes can be pushed via USB to individual units or sent electronically across sites, so you're not relying on in-person retraining every time something changes.

For operators utilizing Turbo Charge training with their crew, the interfaces on both lineups are built for that kind of hands-on learning. It's intuitive enough for operators to pick up quickly. Anything on the technical side should go through a certified Taylor technician via an authorized distributor.

Want more detail on how programmable grills affect throughput and labor? The ultimate guide to choosing a commercial grill is worth a read. And if you want to confirm a clamshell grill is the right format before you go further, 4 types of commercial grills gives you a clear comparison.

Which Model Is Right for You?

If you need full two-sided coverage across your entire cooking surface and want a straightforward setup for your crew, go with the L810 (electric) or L811 (gas). The choice between them comes down to your kitchen's power setup and utility costs.

If your menu mixes two-sided proteins with items that need a flat surface, the L812 handles both in one footprint without adding equipment to your line.

If product precision, independent cook plates, or connected kitchen integration is a priority, the L858 is the one to look at. It's the most capable commercial clamshell grill in the Crown Series lineup.

Still not sure? The grill selector tool walks through the key variables and points you in the right direction.

Finding an Authorized Taylor Distributor

Taylor sells and services its equipment through its authorized distributor network. All installations and service need to go through an authorized distributor to maintain warranty coverage. That's also the right channel for getting accurate quotes and talking through configuration options for your specific kitchen.

Taylor's distributor network includes hundreds of factory-trained, certified technicians for ongoing support after installation. Genuine parts and authorized service are available through that same network.

Find the Right Fit for Your Kitchen

Taylor’s clamshell commercial grill models give you real options across multiple models. The right one depends on your menu, your volume, and what your kitchen is set up to run. Reach out to your local authorized Taylor distributor to talk through the details, get a quote, or see a model in action. You can also explore all commercial grills from Taylor or use the grill selector tool to get started.