I really liked it when I tried my Samsung GT-S5830i again. It only has a 3.5" screen. It's just perfect for one-handed use. And it has a home button. I miss those.
But anyway, I still probably wouldn't choose a small phone. I prefer bigger ones overall. I really liked phablets when that was a thing. 6-7 inch screen but in 16:9 aspect ratio. For me, that's gold, as I usually use my phone in landscape (I am typing this on phone in landscape too).