Are you specifically looking for steel strings? I have an older Larrivee parlor, 24" scale, 1 3/4 nut, can't go wrong with any of the wood selections and they are all solid. You can check Craigslist or the Larrivee forum (they like donuts BTW) for better pricing used, usually $6-700. They have a super feel. For way smaller there is a little steel string by Ibanez called the Piccolo with a 17" scale.
I love my 19" scale Tacoma Papoose, they crop up on eBay and have a lovely radiused fretboard and a nice sparkle, it's a cedar top over mahogany and all solid. Body is a tad bigger than the usual bari but it will fit in a larger bari case. For in the middle the CA Cargo is a 22.5 scale with a great fretboard and a small body, all carbon fiber so you can't hurt it with humidity changes. A little quiet but spot on intonation. If you get the raw with a pickup it's usually cheaper, especially if you can find one used, and sounds great plugged in. I also like the 20" scale guitaleles, I have a Mele and just bought a Cordoba Mini R, don't have it yet but it has an even wider nut which I expect to like.
Here's a Papoose on the 'bay.
I had a harder time finding short scale nylon guitars and ended up with several vintage parlors, they can have issues but if you get a good one they usually sound awesome with their ladder bracing, it seems to suit the small box.