How is your bike's front derailleur cable routed -- from the top or bottom? The M191 is a dual pull derailleur, meaning the cable can be routed either way. I'd want to know your particular cable routing before suggesting replacements. I'd also suggest, especially since you have a dual pull derailleur, that you re-check your cabling before ordering a replacement derailleur.

Since front derailleurs are pretty simple devices, they don't break often. When they do break, the failure mode is typically apparent. Since this one stopped working when you replaced the cable, the cabling is a whole lot more suspect than the derailleur.

As for "better" derailleurs, high-end parts aren't typically available for 8-speed drivetrains anymore unless you find used or "new old stock" derailleurs from sources like eBay. New replacements are likely to be of the same "a-series" (Altus/Acera/Alivio) quality level as your original derailleur. They're reliable parts, though, especially for something simple like a front derailleur.