Have had gerbils (three sisters), Syrian hamsters (one at a time, females smell better than males) and dwarf hamsters (one at a time, females smell better than males). Of them all, dwarfs are definitely the cutest, need the smallest home, and easy to handle.
NEVER get the hamster habitat plastic things for homes as they are way too small, but use any old aquarium instead with a wire mesh lid. A dwarf hamster will live comfortably in a 20g, and they are VERY, VERY CUTE
Will never forget the year we bought one for my daughter years ago. We bought it 2-3 weeks before Christmas and kept it in my husband's computer room during the day. Once my daughter went to bed, we'd bring the hamster, aquarium and all, upstairs to socialize it. She was so sweet and easy to handle. If we did not currently have a ball python, we'd for sure get another dwarf.