I'm currently using a knock off battery from some random brand because I didn't want to spend $130 at the Apple store. I looked on Apples website and the reviews for the battery I was looking aren't good.
I wouldn't trust or recommend any non-Apple battery, due to the number of problems reported with "knockoff" batteries. Also, there is no assurance that knockoff batteries have the same charging technology that Apple uses, involving the battery, the MagSafe adapter and the Mac's logic board.
The link below should answer most, if not all, of your battery/charging questions. If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend you take the time to read it.