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Benefit Plans Benefit Plans (Detail 4) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Net actuarial losses (gains) $ 146,270us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax    
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Unamortized Gain (Loss) Arising During Period, Net of Tax 106,837us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax (30,381)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax 46,792us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
Prior service costs (2,611)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax    
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Plan Amendments and Prior Service Costs arising during the period, net of tax (1,607)mtd_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansNetPlanAmendmentsAndPriorServiceCostsArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax (2,371)mtd_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansNetPlanAmendmentsAndPriorServiceCostsArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax (18,017)mtd_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansNetPlanAmendmentsAndPriorServiceCostsArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
Defined Benefit Plans, Amortization of Gains, Losses and Other Expenses (7,672)mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansAmortizationOfGainsLossesAndOtherExpenses    
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Gain (Loss) Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, Net of Tax (5,310)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetGainLossNetOfTax    
Amortization of Prior service costs in Net Periodic Benefits Costs, before tax 4,795us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax    
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Amortization, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Prior Service Cost Recognized in Net Periodic Benefit Cost, after tax 3,696mtd_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansNetPriorServiceCostRecognizedInNetPeriodicBenefitCostAfterTax    
Defined Benefit Plans, Impact of FX on Current Year Change in OCI (10,815)mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansImpactOfFxOnCurrentYearChangeInOci    
Defined Benefit Plans, Impact of FX on Current Year Change in OCI, net of tax (8,089)mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansImpactOfFxOnCurrentYearChangeInOciNetOfTax 2,010mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansImpactOfFxOnCurrentYearChangeInOciNetOfTax 1,931mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansImpactOfFxOnCurrentYearChangeInOciNetOfTax
Defined Benefit Plan, Changes in OCI Arising During the Period 129,967mtd_DefinedBenefitPlanChangesInOciArisingDuringPeriod    
Defined Benefit Plan, Changes in OCI Arising During the Period, net of tax 95,527mtd_DefinedBenefitPlanChangesInOciArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax    
United States Pension Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Net actuarial losses (gains) 31,423us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Prior service costs 0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Defined Benefit Plans, Amortization of Gains, Losses and Other Expenses (4,800)mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansAmortizationOfGainsLossesAndOtherExpenses
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Amortization of Prior service costs in Net Periodic Benefits Costs, before tax 0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Defined Benefit Plans, Impact of FX on Current Year Change in OCI 0mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansImpactOfFxOnCurrentYearChangeInOci
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Defined Benefit Plan, Changes in OCI Arising During the Period 26,623mtd_DefinedBenefitPlanChangesInOciArisingDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Foreign Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Net actuarial losses (gains) 114,370us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember		    
Prior service costs (526)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember		    
Defined Benefit Plans, Amortization of Gains, Losses and Other Expenses (4,308)mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansAmortizationOfGainsLossesAndOtherExpenses
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember		    
Amortization of Prior service costs in Net Periodic Benefits Costs, before tax 4,016us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember		    
Defined Benefit Plans, Impact of FX on Current Year Change in OCI (10,815)mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansImpactOfFxOnCurrentYearChangeInOci
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember		    
Defined Benefit Plan, Changes in OCI Arising During the Period 102,737mtd_DefinedBenefitPlanChangesInOciArisingDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember		    
United States Postretirement Benefit Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Net actuarial losses (gains) 477us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Prior service costs (2,085)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Defined Benefit Plans, Amortization of Gains, Losses and Other Expenses 1,436mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansAmortizationOfGainsLossesAndOtherExpenses
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Amortization of Prior service costs in Net Periodic Benefits Costs, before tax 779us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Defined Benefit Plans, Impact of FX on Current Year Change in OCI 0mtd_DefinedBenefitPlansImpactOfFxOnCurrentYearChangeInOci
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember		    
Defined Benefit Plan, Changes in OCI Arising During the Period $ 607mtd_DefinedBenefitPlanChangesInOciArisingDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember