Yes—but only in a limited situation. A 2024 U.S. Copyright Office rule permits circumvention of certain software controls when it is necessary to diagnose, maintain, or repair lawfully acquired equipment primarily designed for retail-level commercial food preparation. It is not a blanket right to bypass locks on any commercial machine.
What the 2024 exemption covers
The exemption appears at 37 C.F.R. § 201.40(b)(16). It applies to computer programs contained in and controlling the functioning of lawfully acquired equipment primarily designed for use in retail-level commercial food preparation, when circumventing a software control is a necessary step for diagnosis, maintenance, or repair.
The rule excludes circumvention undertaken to gain access to other copyrighted works. In this context, maintenance means servicing equipment so that it works according to its original or authorized specifications; repair means restoring it to that state.
When a soft-serve machine repair may qualify
A restaurant or service technician considering a software bypass should assess the conditions together, not treat the equipment category alone as permission.
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#1 Best Overall
- Powerful Performance: The high power provides continuous and long-lasting power for our soft ice cream maker. Adopts a famous brand compressor to ensure high efficiency and low noise during operation. Expansion tubes make your ice cream look more attractive while increasing yield by 25%-30%. Plus, shortage alerts will remind you to add more ingredients to the mixing hopper. With features this sweet, you can't go wrong.
- Pre-cooling & One-click Thawing: When making ice cream, pressing the KEEP-FRESH function can keep the hopper at a lower temperature, to ensure the freshness of the ingredients in the next day and maintain the taste of ice cream; in the case of a frozen cylinder, press one button to thaw, greatly saving the time waiting for the ice cream to melt.
- Smart LCD Control Panel: Our soft-serve ice cream maker features a smart digital panel for easy, real-time control. The LCD screen clearly displays ice cream quantity, while practical functions are integrated for convenience. You can adjust the texture to be firmer or softer to suit your taste. The fresh-keeping function allows ingredients to stay in the hopper overnight for better flavor, and one-click self-cleaning makes maintenance effortless.
- Well-Designed for Wide Uses: Designed in a size of 29.3"x21.3"x34", our countertop ice cream maker can perfectly fit into the commercial places. The stainless steel construction ensures enhanced durability and an eye-pleasing appearance. This unit is widely applicable for snack bars, cafés, bakeries, fast food chains, restaurants, buffets, etc.
- 22-30 L/H High Yield & 3 Optional Flavors: Our commercial ice cream maker reaches 22-30 liters (5.8-7.9 gallons) per hour. Dual 6L (1.6 gal) mixing hoppers and 2L (0.5 gal) freezing cylinders (both made of SUS304) can deliver up to 150-200 servings of ice cream (100 grams per serving) in one hour to suit your business needs. Also, 2 single flavors and 1 mixed flavor to spice up your dessert menu, allowing customers to enjoy different flavors at once. Taste the difference with every serving.
- Qualifying equipment: It must be lawfully acquired and primarily designed for retail-level commercial food preparation. The Register’s recommendation discussed a Taylor soft-serve machine as an example, but the regulation does not name a brand or approve a particular model.
- Repair-related need: Circumvention must be necessary for diagnosis, maintenance, or repair—not merely convenient or desirable.
- Restoration objective: The activity must serve the purpose of maintaining or restoring operation under original or device-authorized specifications.
- No access to other works: The circumvention cannot be done to gain access to other copyrighted works.
If a proposed change instead repurposes the machine, alters its software beyond authorized specifications, or seeks access to protected content, this exemption does not establish that the action is permitted.
What the exemption does not allow
The Register recommended an exemption for retail-level food-preparation equipment, but did not recommend the broader proposed category of software-enabled commercial and industrial devices; the record did not sufficiently support that wider class. The rule therefore should not be read as permission to bypass software controls on commercial or industrial equipment generally.
Rank #2
- High-Efficiency Refrigeration: This commercial ice cream machine features a high-performance compressor, powerful refrigeration,low noise. It operates seamlessly at ambient temperatures (41 to 95°F / 5 to 35°C), freezes quickly in 12 minutes, with subsequent batches ready in 6 minutes or less, and produces 10-20 liters of ice cream per hour, ensuring a constant and stable supply.
- Large Capacity: Equipped with 4L hopper capacity and a 1.6L freezer tank, this ice cream machine can produce 10-20 liters of ice cream per hour to suit your business needs. Its advanced deep puffing not only enhances the visual appeal of your ice cream but also delivers a richer, creamier texture. Additionally, it saves raw materials as well.
- LCD Touch Screen: This ice cream machine features an intuitive LCD touch screen that makes it easy to regulate the serving size, hardness and temperature of the ice cream. It is feature-rich, with a pre-cooling mode for rapid temperature reduction, a freshness system to keep ingredients fresh for a long time, and a one-touch start for the automatic cleaning program and timer setting to make fluffy and delicate ice cream easily.
- Considerate Product Details: Designed with both practicality and aesthetics in mind, this countertop ice cream machine boasts an ergonomic handle, efficient cooling vents, and a removable drip tray for added convenience. Constructed with high-quality 304 stainless steel layer, durable, rust-proof, and easy to clean, the food-grade materials ensure safety and reliability.
- Wide Application: This soft serve ice cream machine is designed to be flexible and versatile for making a variety of ice cream-based treats such as cones, waffles and cakes.Perfect for commercial use, ideal for ice cream parlors, bars, cafes, dessert shops, restaurants, supermarkets, food trucks, and any other high-demand settings.
It is also a limited exception to Section 1201’s prohibition on circumventing technological measures. It does not itself guarantee that a particular repair complies with other laws, contracts, safety requirements, or the machine’s authorized specifications.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How long the rule applies
The Copyright Office’s 2024 proceeding page dates the final rule October 28, 2024 and explains that Section 1201 exemptions are limited and temporary. The Office’s live 2027 proceeding page says the next triennial proceeding is underway, renewal petitions were due August 24, 2026, and renewed exemptions would apply from October 2027 through October 2030. The current exemption and any later renewal should not be conflated: the proceeding may affect the rule’s future timing.
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Rank #3
- High Productivity & 10-35 Mins Rapid Freeze: Equipped with a powerful commercial compressor and a large 4.5L freezing cylinder, this hard ice cream machine can produce about 4.2-5.3 Gal (16-20L) of premium hard-serve per hour. With a lightning-fast 10-35 Mins rapid production cycle, it ensures a continuous, reliable supply to effortlessly handle peak-hour crowds in busy dessert shops, cafes, and restaurants.
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- Sturdy and durable & Easy to clean: This commercial hard-serve maker features a food-grade SUS304 stainless steel refrigeration cylinder and the high-quality stainless steel fully encased shell, making it rust-proof, corrosion-resistant, easy to clean, sturdy, durable, and long-lasting. With the built-in one-button automatic cleaning function, ensuring food safety while eliminating the need for complicated maintenance, saving you time and effort.
- Compact Countertop Design & Various Menu Versatility: With its space-saving footprint (about 20.87" x 19.69" x 28.35"), this countertop frozen drink machine fits perfectly into any tight commercial line, food truck, or concession stand. From classic vanilla, chocolate, and matcha ice cream to gourmet gelato, sorbet, waffles topping, and ice cream cakes, you can create an endless variety of flavors, making it perfect for beverage shops, dessert shops, buffets, restaurants, etc.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
