Name:	mtd_Customerprepaymentsanddeferredrevenue
Namespace Prefix:	mtd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Segment revenue which includes both sales to external customers and sales to other segments.

No definition available.

Name:	mtd_NetSales
Namespace Prefix:	mtd_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The percentage of the disaggregated revenue disclosed in relation to the Company's segment reporting.

No definition available.

Name:	mtd_PercentageofDisaggregatedRevenueinRelationshiptoSegments
Namespace Prefix:	mtd_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount, after allowance for credit loss, of right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130549-203045

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118944033&loc=SL49130531-203044

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118944033&loc=SL49130533-203044

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerAssetNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of revenue recognized that was previously included in balance of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due.

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityRevenueRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Total carrying amount of consideration received or receivable as of the balance sheet date on potential earnings that were not recognized as revenue or other forms of income in conformity with GAAP, and which are expected to be recognized as such within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCreditsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DisaggregationOfRevenueLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130545-203045

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8933-108599

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

Name:	us-gaap_Revenues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Adjustments to temporary equity resulting from foreign currency translation adjustments.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_TemporaryEquityForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=srt_AmericasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=srt_EuropeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=srt_AsiaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_ProductMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_TimingOfTransferOfGoodOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_TransferredAtPointInTimeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_ServiceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_TimingOfTransferOfGoodOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_TransferredOverTimeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=mtd_LaboratoryproductsandservicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=mtd_IndustrialproductsandservicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=mtd_RetailproductsandservicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mtd_USOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mtd_SwissOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mtd_WesternEuropeanOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=mtd_ChineseOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: