Mettler Toledo XSR104 Analytical Balance – Used & Refurbished
The Mettler Toledo XSR104 Analytical Balance is a high-performance laboratory balance designed for quantitative weighing applications requiring 0.1 mg readability, excellent repeatability, fast stabilization, and reliable control of environmental influences. With a maximum capacity of 120 g, typical repeatability of 0.04 mg, and a typical USP minimum weight of approximately 82 mg, the XSR104 is well suited for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemical, quality-control, and research laboratories performing demanding analytical weighing procedures.
Available used and refurbished from American Instrument Exchange, the XSR104 combines Mettler Toledo weighing technology with FACT automatic internal adjustment, a hanging SmartPan weighing system, motorized draft-shield doors, a 4.5-inch color touchscreen, integrated weighing methods, electronic results documentation, and LabX compatibility.
Although the XSR104 has been discontinued by Mettler Toledo in favor of newer XPR-generation balances, it remains a sophisticated analytical weighing platform for laboratories that want modern functionality without the acquisition cost of a new current-generation analytical balance.
Each refurbished XSR104 is inspected, calibrated, performance tested, and cleaned by American Instrument Exchange and includes a 90-day warranty.
Key Features
-
120 g maximum weighing capacity
-
0.1 mg readability
-
Typical repeatability of 0.04 mg
-
±0.2 mg linearity
-
Typical USP minimum weight of approximately 82 mg
-
Fast 1.5-second settling time
-
FACT automatic internal adjustment
-
Hanging SmartPan weighing system
-
78 × 73 mm weighing pan
-
Motorized draft-shield doors
-
4.5-inch color touchscreen
-
Integrated weighing methods
-
Results protocol and electronic documentation capabilities
-
ErgoClip-compatible one-step dosing
-
Easy-to-remove draft-shield components for cleaning
-
LabX compatible
-
Multiple connectivity options
-
Refurbished and tested by American Instrument Exchange
-
90-day warranty included
Overview
The Mettler Toledo XSR104 belongs to the Excellence XSR family of analytical balances and provides the 0.1 mg readability traditionally associated with four-decimal-place analytical weighing.
Its 120 g maximum capacity makes it particularly appropriate for routine quantitative laboratory procedures involving relatively small samples, weighing vessels, filters, powders, standards, and formulation components.
The XSR104 was designed around more than weighing-cell performance alone.
Mettler Toledo incorporated features intended to reduce common sources of operator and environmental error, including a hanging weighing pan, draft protection, automatic internal adjustment, motorized doors, guided workflows, electronic documentation, and compatibility with laboratory data-management systems.
For laboratories purchasing refurbished equipment, this makes the XSR104 a compelling alternative to both older analytical balances with more limited interfaces and substantially more expensive current-generation systems.
Common Applications
The XSR104 is well suited for analytical chemistry, pharmaceutical quality control, biotechnology research, quantitative sample preparation, formulation, gravimetric analysis, standards preparation, density determination, checkweighing, component weighing, back weighing, and other procedures requiring 0.1 mg readability.
Pharmaceutical laboratories can use the XSR104 for preparation of analytical standards, formulation components, stability-testing samples, quality-control procedures, and quantitative sample preparation.
Biotechnology and life-science laboratories can use it for reagents, compounds, filters, membranes, powders, and other research materials.
Chemical and environmental laboratories can use the balance for gravimetric procedures and preparation of accurately known concentrations.
Ideal Laboratory Types
The XSR104 is particularly well suited for pharmaceutical manufacturers, biotechnology companies, analytical laboratories, contract research and testing organizations, chemical laboratories, universities, quality-control departments, environmental laboratories, and research facilities.
Its combination of conventional 0.1 mg analytical readability and modern workflow features makes it especially useful for laboratories that need dependable analytical performance but do not require semi-micro or microbalance resolution.
Analytical Weighing Performance
The XSR104 provides a maximum weighing capacity of 120 g with 0.1 mg readability.
Mettler Toledo specifies typical repeatability of approximately 0.04 mg and a linearity limit of ±0.2 mg.
The balance also provides a fast settling time of approximately 1.5 seconds.
These specifications make the XSR104 suitable for demanding routine analytical work while supporting relatively high throughput.
Fast stabilization becomes particularly valuable when technicians perform repeated weighings or sequential dosing procedures throughout the day.
Minimum Sample Weight & USP Applications
Mettler Toledo specifies a typical USP minimum weight of approximately 82 mg for the XSR104 based on a 0.1% measurement uncertainty criterion.
Minimum sample weight should not be confused with readability.
The balance can display changes as small as 0.1 mg, but that does not mean a 0.1 mg sample can be weighed with acceptable quantitative uncertainty.
For pharmaceutical and other regulated applications, laboratories should establish minimum sample weight under their actual operating conditions and according to their applicable quality procedures.
The manufacturer's typical 82 mg figure provides a useful reference point for evaluating whether the XSR104 is appropriate for a particular analytical method.
SmartPan Hanging Weighing System
The XSR104 incorporates Mettler Toledo's hanging SmartPan weighing system.
Rather than using only a conventional weighing pan positioned directly above the weighing cell, the design helps reduce the influence of air movement on sensitive measurements.
Improved resistance to environmental disturbances can allow the balance to stabilize more quickly while maintaining strong repeatability.
This is particularly valuable in busy laboratories where doors, HVAC systems, operator movement, and other sources of airflow can make conventional analytical weighing more difficult.
Controlling Drafts, Vibration & Static
At 0.1 mg readability, environmental conditions remain an important part of reliable weighing.
Air movement can create unstable readings or extend stabilization time.
Vibration from centrifuges, shakers, pumps, refrigerators, compressors, foot traffic, or unstable laboratory furniture can also affect performance.
Static electricity can be problematic when weighing powders, plastics, filters, weighing paper, and other insulating materials.
The XSR104's draft shield and SmartPan design help reduce some environmental effects, but good laboratory technique remains essential.
The balance should be installed on a rigid, stable weighing surface away from strong air currents and vibration.
Motorized Draft-Shield Doors
The XSR104 features automatic draft-shield doors that can simplify repetitive weighing procedures.
Motorized operation reduces the amount of manual contact required with the balance and allows door behavior to be adapted to different workflows.
This can be especially useful during repeated dosing or formulation procedures.
Reducing unnecessary hand movement around the weighing chamber may also help limit disturbances while sensitive measurements are stabilizing.
FACT Automatic Internal Adjustment
The XSR104 incorporates Mettler Toledo FACT automatic internal adjustment.
FACT allows the balance to perform adjustment automatically when environmental conditions indicate that correction may be appropriate.
Temperature changes are particularly relevant because they can affect the response of precision weighing systems.
Automatic internal adjustment reduces dependence on operators remembering to perform manual calibration procedures throughout the working day.
Laboratories can still perform external verification with appropriate certified weights according to their quality-control requirements.
ErgoClip One-Step Dosing
The XSR104 supports Mettler Toledo ErgoClip accessories for direct dosing into different tare vessels.
ErgoClips position compatible containers directly on the hanging weighing system.
This can eliminate the need to dose material onto weighing paper and then transfer it into a final vessel.
Direct dosing can reduce sample loss, simplify workflows, and minimize contamination risks.
It is particularly useful for pharmaceutical formulation, standards preparation, and other applications involving powders or small quantities of material.
Easy Cleaning & Contamination Control
Analytical balances frequently handle powders, chemicals, pharmaceutical compounds, and other materials that can accumulate inside the weighing chamber.
The XSR design allows major draft-shield components and the hanging weighing pan to be removed without tools.
Removable components can be cleaned separately, helping laboratories reach surfaces that are difficult to access on more conventional analytical-balance designs.
Simplified cleaning can be particularly valuable in multi-user laboratories or facilities working with multiple compounds where cross-contamination must be minimized.
4.5-Inch Color Touchscreen
The XSR104 uses a 4.5-inch color touchscreen interface.
Clear icons and menu structures provide access to weighing tasks, settings, results, and integrated applications.
Frequently used methods can be saved for easier access.
The touchscreen can also be operated while wearing many common laboratory gloves, helping technicians work without repeatedly removing protective equipment.
Integrated Weighing Applications
The XSR104 supports multiple weighing applications beyond basic mass determination.
These include weighing, counting, checkweighing, dynamic weighing, formulation, totaling, back weighing, and density determination.
Integrated applications allow common calculations and procedures to be managed through the balance rather than requiring technicians to manually transfer results to separate calculators or worksheets.
For repetitive laboratory procedures, this can improve consistency and reduce transcription errors.
Electronic Documentation & Results Protocol
The XSR platform provides integrated result documentation capabilities.
Rather than treating each weighing result as an isolated number on the display, the balance can support electronic recording and transfer of measurement information.
Mettler Toledo also offered documentation and compliance options for the XSR platform, including workflows supporting data integrity and 21 CFR Part 11 requirements when appropriately configured with compatible software.
These capabilities can be valuable for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and other regulated laboratories.
Connectivity & LabX Compatibility
The XSR104 supports modern connectivity for integration with laboratory computers and peripheral devices.
Available interfaces include Ethernet, USB, and RS232 connectivity, with additional options depending on configuration.
The balance is also compatible with Mettler Toledo LabX software.
LabX can provide centralized method management, electronic data capture, workflow control, user management, and data-integrity functionality for laboratories that require a more structured weighing environment.
Key Specifications
| Specification |
Mettler Toledo XSR104 |
| Balance Type |
Analytical Balance |
| Maximum Capacity |
120 g |
| Readability |
0.1 mg |
| Typical Repeatability |
0.04 mg |
| Linearity |
±0.2 mg |
| Typical USP Minimum Weight, 0.1% |
Approx. 82 mg |
| Settling Time |
Approx. 1.5 seconds |
| Adjustment |
Internal Automatic / FACT |
| Weighing System |
Hanging SmartPan |
| Weighing Pan |
78 × 73 mm |
| Draft Shield |
Motorized |
| Display |
4.5-Inch Color Touchscreen |
| Integrated Applications |
Weighing, Counting, Checkweighing, Dynamic Weighing, Formulation, Totaling, Back Weighing, Density |
| Connectivity |
USB, Ethernet/LAN, RS232; Additional Options Depending on Configuration |
| LabX Compatibility |
Yes |
| Legal for Trade |
No |
| Dimensions |
Approx. 195 mm W × 482 mm D × 292 mm H |
| Condition |
Used & Refurbished |
| Testing |
Accuracy, Repeatability, Linearity, Corner Load, Adjustment & Functional Testing |
| Warranty |
90 Days from American Instrument Exchange |
XSR104 vs. Conventional Precision Balance
The XSR104 is an analytical balance rather than a conventional precision balance.
Many laboratory precision balances provide readability ranging from 1 mg to 0.1 g depending on capacity.
The XSR104 provides 0.1 mg readability.
This additional sensitivity makes it better suited for quantitative analytical procedures, small samples, standards preparation, and other applications where milligram-level resolution is insufficient.
The tradeoff is greater sensitivity to environmental conditions and a lower maximum capacity than many precision balances.
XSR104 vs. Semi-Micro Balance
Semi-micro balances generally provide 0.01 mg readability, which is ten times finer than the 0.1 mg readability of the XSR104.
For laboratories routinely weighing very small samples or requiring minimum sample weights below the practical range of a conventional analytical balance, a semi-micro model may be preferable.
For routine analytical weighing where 0.1 mg readability and an approximately 82 mg typical USP minimum weight are appropriate, the XSR104 provides excellent performance without the additional environmental sensitivity and acquisition cost associated with semi-micro weighing.
XSR104 vs. XSR204
The XSR104 and XSR204 both provide 0.1 mg readability, typical repeatability of approximately 0.04 mg, ±0.2 mg linearity, and approximately 1.5-second settling time.
The primary difference is capacity.
The XSR104 provides 120 g maximum capacity, while the XSR204 extends maximum capacity to approximately 220 g.
For laboratories whose containers and samples remain comfortably below 120 g, the XSR104 provides essentially the same readability in a lower-capacity configuration.
The XSR204 is preferable when larger tare vessels or heavier samples are routinely used.
XSR104 vs. Newer Mettler Toledo Analytical Balances
Mettler Toledo discontinued the XSR104 in 2024 and transitioned its analytical-balance lineup toward newer XPR configurations.
Current-generation systems can offer updated interfaces, workflow capabilities, connectivity, and other refinements.
However, the XSR104 already incorporates many features laboratories expect from a modern analytical balance, including FACT automatic adjustment, touchscreen operation, motorized doors, SmartPan technology, electronic documentation, and LabX compatibility.
A properly refurbished XSR104 can therefore provide a cost-effective route to sophisticated analytical weighing without requiring investment in a new current-generation instrument.
Refurbishment & Performance Testing
Each used Mettler Toledo XSR104 offered by American Instrument Exchange undergoes inspection, cleaning, calibration, and functional testing before shipment.
Technicians inspect the housing, touchscreen, weighing chamber, draft shield, weighing pan, leveling system, power components, and installed accessories.
The balance is tested with appropriate reference weights at multiple points across its weighing range.
Repeatability testing uses repeated measurements of the same reference load to evaluate consistency.
Linearity testing evaluates performance at different points across the weighing range, while corner-load testing checks whether sample position affects results beyond acceptable tolerances.
FACT operation, taring, zeroing, motorized draft-shield operation, touchscreen controls, and other installed functions are also evaluated.
Following final quality-control testing and cleaning, the balance is prepared for shipment.
Used and refurbished equipment from American Instrument Exchange includes a 90-day warranty unless otherwise specified.
Shipping & Installation Considerations
The XSR104 should be installed on a rigid, stable, vibration-resistant balance table.
Direct airflow from HVAC outlets, doors, fans, or frequently traveled areas should be minimized.
The balance should not share an unstable bench with centrifuges, shakers, pumps, or other vibration-producing equipment when high-quality analytical measurements are required.
After transportation, the XSR104 should be allowed to acclimate to the laboratory environment.
The balance should then be properly leveled, FACT adjustment should be allowed to run as appropriate, and weighing performance should be verified according to the laboratory's quality procedures.
Samples and weighing containers should also be allowed to reach room temperature when temperature differences could produce convection currents inside the draft shield.
Related Laboratory Equipment
American Instrument Exchange maintains an extensive inventory of used and refurbished laboratory balances, including analytical balances, semi-micro balances, microbalances, and precision balances for applications ranging from routine sample preparation to high-resolution quantitative analysis.
Labs developing complete analytical or sample-preparation workflows can also source centrifuges, water baths, incubators, laboratory refrigerators, laboratory freezers, and other refurbished laboratory equipment from American Instrument Exchange.
Mettler Toledo XSR104 Analytical Balance FAQs
What is the maximum capacity of the Mettler Toledo XSR104?
The XSR104 has a maximum weighing capacity of 120 g.
What is the readability of the XSR104?
The XSR104 provides 0.1 mg readability, making it a conventional four-decimal-place analytical balance.
What is the typical repeatability?
Mettler Toledo specifies typical repeatability of approximately 0.04 mg.
What is the linearity?
The XSR104 has a specified linearity of ±0.2 mg.
What is the typical USP minimum weight?
Mettler Toledo specifies a typical USP minimum weight of approximately 82 mg based on a 0.1% criterion.
How quickly does the XSR104 stabilize?
The specified settling time is approximately 1.5 seconds.
Does the XSR104 have internal calibration?
Yes. It incorporates Mettler Toledo FACT automatic internal adjustment.
What is SmartPan?
SmartPan is Mettler Toledo's weighing-pan technology designed to reduce the effects of air movement and help improve stabilization and repeatability.
Does the XSR104 have automatic draft-shield doors?
Yes. The XSR104 features motorized draft-shield doors that can help simplify repetitive weighing and dosing procedures.
Can the XSR104 be used for pharmaceutical applications?
Yes. Its 0.1 mg readability, approximately 82 mg typical USP minimum weight, electronic documentation capabilities, FACT adjustment, and LabX compatibility make it well suited for many pharmaceutical weighing applications.
Is the XSR104 compatible with LabX?
Yes. The XSR104 is compatible with Mettler Toledo LabX software for supported electronic data management, method control, and regulated workflows.
What is the difference between the XSR104 and XSR204?
Both provide 0.1 mg readability, but the XSR104 has 120 g capacity while the XSR204 provides approximately 220 g capacity.
Is the XSR104 a semi-micro balance?
No. The XSR104 is an analytical balance with 0.1 mg readability. Semi-micro balances typically provide 0.01 mg readability.
Has the XSR104 been discontinued?
Yes. Mettler Toledo discontinued the XSR104 in December 2024. Refurbished units can still provide an attractive option for laboratories that want XSR analytical weighing technology at a lower cost than purchasing a new current-generation balance.
Is this XSR104 new or refurbished?
This Mettler Toledo XSR104 is offered used and refurbished by American Instrument Exchange. It is inspected, calibrated, performance tested, cleaned, and supplied with a 90-day warranty.
Why purchase a refurbished Mettler Toledo XSR104?
A refurbished XSR104 provides 0.1 mg analytical readability, fast stabilization, FACT automatic adjustment, SmartPan technology, motorized doors, touchscreen operation, electronic documentation, and LabX compatibility while offering substantial potential savings compared with purchasing a new current-generation analytical balance.
