Yes, it would be nice if we can use exactly the same property that we can use in the kendoToolbar, when configuring the grid toolbar.

You can share the suggestion and my demo with your team.

The most trivial is "click: function...", that I can't believe we can't easily handle.

I understand that some "custom hard coded" items, like "pdf", "xls", need some implementation, but I am sure your team can handle them and add them in the real toolbar, as I did in our application.

About the "search" box, it's something we already implemented, and we want it on the toolbar directly, and your new feature is not exactly what we need.  I think that, if you re-write the grid toolbar property of the grid, you can add a special type "search", that can be used like "pdf", "xls" ...
So, the grid config can look like this: 

$('#grid1').kendoGrid({
...
toolbar: [
{name: "xls"}, // keep name attribute for "custom hard coded" grid features.  They will be replaced by the type button.
{name: "pdf"},
{type: "separator"}
{type: "button", text: "custom", click: myfunc},
{type: "spacer"},
{template: myTemplateForRightSideOfTheBar},
{name: "search"}, <-- suggestion!
]
})

p.s. another difference I had to handle: the icons are set using spriteCssClass in the toolbar, and the span get a k-sprite class. 
I had to remove it to use your icons lilke "k-icon k-i-copy", that I was able to use directly from iconClass property of the grid toolbar.
I think you can offer both, for those who want a sprite, and others who prefer icon.

Thank you

I think I found a solution... what do you think?
1. create the grid with an empty toolbar, just to render the toolbar zone.
kgrid = $('#grid1').kendoGrid({..., toolbar: [], ...}).data("kendoGrid")
2. Convert the grid toolbar zone to a "real" kendoToolBar
var kbar = kgrid.wrapper.find(".k-grid-toolbar").kendoToolBar({}).data("kendoToolBar")
then use it with all the toolbar features that we can't, use in the grid toolbar, like groups, togglable, template, click,  ...
kbar.add({type: "button", text: "some text", click: fctDoJob});
kbar.add({type: "separator"});
...

example:

https://dojo.telerik.com/@foxontherock/iJufIfAx

If it's that easy, the question is: Why didn't you use a real kendotoolbar in the grid??

Thank you.