It is that big of a difference between the Minn Kota Edge or Maxxum series besides the $$$.  If so what is it??

The Maxxum is a little quieter, a little easier to stow/deploy.  The Maxxum has the Maxxum Mount with bow guard (keeps you from ripping the whole thing off the boat when you hit a stump or rock), the Edge doesn't.

Thanks...sounds like I need to dish out the money and go with a Maxxum... :'(

The Maxxum also is available with the digital control. I have one on my Fortrex and it is amazing how much more energy efficient they are than the multi-speed units. If you spend a lot of time on the water, you will appreciate the longer battery life.

Additionally the Edge has a metal shaft and the Maxxum has a composite flexible shaft.

The Maxxum is also available in more powerful models and with a built in sonar transducer.

Additionally the Edge has a metal shaft and the Maxxum has a composite flexible shaft.

The Maxxum is also available in more powerful models and with a built in sonar transducer.

The Edge has the same composite shaft as the Maxxum.

The maxxum has infinite variable speed as well as the maximizer. The maxxum has a speed dial that goes from 0 to 100 and you can adjust the dial to be anywhere in that range. The Edge has 5 fixed speeds.

The digital maximizer pulses the voltage / current to the motor which allows the motor to run significantly longer than the steady current provided to the Edge motor. I can run my maxxum 70 all day in the wind on Deka batteries on my 19'8" Stratos. My partner can only get 5 hours of use out of his 70 Edge on the same size Deka batteries on a 18'6" Skeeter. We have run his batteries dead multiple times but never have run mine dead.

They both have composite shafts but the Maxxum has a spring in the front that absorbs impacts. The Edge is just clamped to the mount. The Maxxum has a better mount that deploys easier. The Edge will bind easily which causes broken pull ropes.

I have experience with both and had them upgrade my trolling motor to the maxxum when I bought my boat last fall. It was money well spent.

I have a Maxxum with a built in transducer. Long battery life. I fish very rocky lakes and before the built in transducer I was beating the trans to death on rocks. I replaced about every 2 or 3 years. Current built in is at least 5 years old and still works fine

I also agree that the built in transducer is worth the extra; no wires to pinch or brackets to break.

I purchased the edge due to the money difference.  I have hit a few stumps and it holds up  pretty well.  I have fish 2 -3 trips without charging batteries and it still runs strong.  I know the maxxum is a better setup but I could not afford it at the time of purchase.

Thanks acar555, I misread the BPS description. It was talking about the mount being metal.