Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - variable speed lawn mower

My dad is 89 and still wants to mow his own lawn. But, he is looking for the smallest [21" cut or smaller] variable speed mower out there. I went to Sears, home depot, etc with no luck. All too big. Does someone out there know of one?

Ariens, Snapper and MTD / Yardman / Cub Cadet have 21" mowers with Variable Speed Drive on the Self Propel, and then the Toro and Lawnboy Personal Pace and Select Pace are variable speed drive also. I think the Lawnboy and Toro are the Easiest to use. I gave a Toro Personal Pace to my mother and she really likes it as there are no confusing levers or gear shifts, you just grab the handles and start walking and the mower goes at whatever pace you choose from 0 to 2 1/2 mph.

Is it easy to maneuver, my dad has a small yard but narrow?

I would say it's as easy to maneuver as most mowers. Swivel wheel mowers might be easier to maneuver but Toro and Lawnboy don't make any that I am aware of. Snapper and Ariens may have swivel wheel models.

Ariens and Snapper self-propelled machines are very heavy mowers. And the MTD brand products with swivel front wheels, too, are heavy. A Toro or Lawn-Boy or a Deere will be relatively light and easily maneuvarable.

How about Black & Decker Battery operated mower-very light & easy to push. Our neighbor could still push it when he was 97....................